Teen crashes SUV into Provo house; no one injured

A high school student on his way to class Friday morning crashed his SUV into a home in east Provo.

Provo police Lt. Mathew Siufanua said the crash, which occurred about 7:40 a.m., destroyed about half of the house at 450 E. University Parkway, but the parents and their five children were not home at the time.

The 17-year-old boy, a student at Timpview High School, had just dropped off his siblings at their schools and was driving his Chevrolet Suburban northbound as he approached the "T" intersection near Brigham Young University.

"At that intersection you can turn either left or right. He went straight, and at enough speed to launch three feet into the air over a berm in front of the house and then right through the home itself," Siufanua said. "He went through the east side of the home, the bedroom used by the three boys and then the master bedroom, causing complete devastation to both."

The family had stayed overnight at the home of the children's maternal grandparents in Lehi after one of the children had become ill during a visit. "It's a good thing they weren't home this morning," Siufanua said.

Police believe the teen driver suffered from a medical issue at the time of the crash that impaired his ability to drive. Police further clarified that he was not under the influence of a prescription medication. The boy was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center to be checked out, but was not otherwise injured.

Police are not issuing the driver any citations.

Questar crews responded to the scene to address a gas line rupture caused by the crash. Adjacent homes were briefly evacuated while that work was done.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims