Photo: Utah Highway Patrol
MOUNT PLEASANT, Utah — The Utah Highway Patrol has confirmed that a fatal crash just east of Mount Pleasant has left 3 teenagers dead.
According to Cpl. Colton Freckleton the accident happened on Power Plant Road around 9:20 p.m. on Friday night.
The Utah Highway Patrol says that the two vehicles that were involved in the crash, a white sedan and a flatbed truck, were both being driven by teens when a white sedan rear-ended a flatbed truck at a high speed.
The three teenagers in the sedan that died have been identified as 18-year-old Ryan Lyman of Ephraim; 16-year-old Julie Oldroyd of Fountain Green; and 16-year-old Kodi Wheeler of Fountain Green and were all North Sanpete High School students. Only the 16-year-old female driver was wearing a seatbelt and is home recovering with her family
Officials believe that the white sedan was following the truck as it started to come over a hill at a low speed when the 16 year old driver of the sedan was “blinded” by the truck when it rear-ended the vehicle and caught fire.
The teens inside the truck were both transported to the hospital with minor injuries and have since been released Cpl. Freckleton said.
Troopers aren’t sure if speed or distracted driving were factors in the crash and do not believe that drugs or alcohol were involved.
Grief counselors are expected to be available to students on Monday, officials said.
The crash remains under investigation.