International BYU student killed in auto-pedestrian crash

PROVO – A BYU student from Chile is dead after a violent crash while he was riding his longboard.  Police are calling on drivers and pedestrians to be more careful where the crash happened.

Investigators say Jonathan Godoy Morales was riding his board, heading west on Stadium Drive when he approached the intersection with Canyon Road.  Two cars were moving south on Canyon Road, and investigators say one car was able to avoid him, but, the other was not.

“It was quite a significant accident where the pedestrian did fly [20] feet,” according to Provo Police Detective Nick DuPaix.

Officers say the southbound cars had the right of way.  There was also a car heading north, and the driver was able to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting Morales.

“We had paramedics on scene.  They did what they could to attend to his wounds, but, they transported him to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” DuPaix says, adding, “In a situation like this, it was just one of those ‘Perfect Storms’ where everybody just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Officers don’t know how fast Morales was moving, or how fast the cars were going.  So, they have crash reconstruction teams that are trying to piece together that information.

He says, “I’d imagine it wouldn’t be until Monday of next week where we’d have a better idea.”

DuPaix warns drivers that this intersection can be especially dark at night, especially since the nearby parking lot has lighting that is specifically designed to reduce light pollution.