This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Highway Patrol has identified the victim of a fatal pickup truck-semi trailer rig crash on U.S. 40 near Roosevelt.
UHP Sgt. Todd Royce said Jeffrey S. Hitchcock, 42, of Salt Lake City, was eastbound when his 2007 GMC pickup inexplicably drifted into the oncoming, westbound lane and collided with a semi hauling two full crude oil tanker trailers about 11 a.m. Monday.
Hitchcock, whose vehicle burst into flames, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi rolled off the right shoulder, about 5 miles west of Roosevelt, but its loads of oil remained intact and were later transferred to other tankers. The big rig's driver was treated for minor injuries while his passenger was unhurt.
A third vehicle, an eastbound 2004 Ford pickup, sustained windshield damage from flying debris but its driver was uninjured.
It took more than five hours to clear the wreckage and completely reopen the highway, UHP said.
The cause of the accident remained under investigation on Tuesday.
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