(KSLTV)
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A 9-year-old girl and her 4-year old sister are safe after crashing their parent’s car into a semi-truck with the intention of going on a trip all alone to go swim in the California ocean.
West Valley City Police said they were called to an accident this morning by a truck driver who was hit by what they thought was an impaired driver near the 201 freeway and 3200 W.
They said that after the driver was sideswiped by the vehicle he began following the car when it crossed the median near 3200 W and 2100 into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a semi-truck. It was then that the driver of the truck that had been hit, found the driver of the other vehicle wasn’t impaired, but a 9-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister in the passenger seat.
West Valley City Police’s Lt. Bill Merritt Merritt said fortunately for all involved no one was hurt and that the girls had managed to make their way from West Jordan where they lived, into West Valley City.
“Both of the girls were wearing seatbelts. Talking to the officers on scene, they said had the girls not been wearing seatbelts it would have been pretty bad because the vehicles were pretty munched,” Merritt said.
“It really is remarkable, and I think everyone is feeling really fortunate this morning that both of these girls are okay and that no one else got hurt either. They started out in the area of 2800 West and about 8900 South so you can picture how far these girls had gone,” said Roxeanne Vainuku, spokesperson for West Valley Police.
She said the semi-driver told police that it didn’t appear the car the girls were driving had touched the brakes, and when the car collided with his truck, the driver’s airbag went off, but it did not go off for the 4-year-old.
Vainuku said the girls told officers they wanted to drive to California to go and swim in the ocean.
Vainuku said the girl’s parents had no idea about this plan and were shocked when police called early this morning.
“The parents said that they just had no idea why they got this idea, and why they headed out, they do leave their keys by the door as many of us do. And apparently, they just grabbed those keys hopped in the car, and set out on their own adventure,” Vainuku said.
“Just so many things that fell into place just the right way to protect these girls and, and make sure that they’re safe this morning.”
Roxeanne Vainuku, West Valley City Police Department spokesperson joined Utah’s Morning News at 8:15, you can watch and listen below. This story will be updated.