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West Valley City • The wife of a University of Utah football player and a male motorist were killed in a three-car collision here late Thursday.
Police said the accident occurred about 10:30 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of 4800 West and 3100 South. Witnesses said a Jeep Cherokee driven by Robert Davis was westbound on 3100 South at a high rate of speed when it ran a red light and broadsided the driver's side of a Mitsubishi Galant that was southbound on 4800 West, police said.
The impact threw the vehicles "some distance" before the Cherokee collided with a Ford Explorer stopped at the intersection.
Davis, 39, was ejected and killed when the Cherokee rolled.
The driver of the Galant, 25-year-old Janelle Tongaonevai — the wife of the U.'s junior defensive lineman Ron Tongaonevai — died on impact, police said.
A juvenile passenger in the Galant was flown by medical helicopter to an area hospital. Police said Friday afternoon that she remained hospitalized, but her condition had been upgraded to serious. Her name was not released.
Two occupants in the Ford Explorer suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, police said.
University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham issued a statement, saying, "Our hearts go out to Ron and families and friends on both sides of the marriage for the tragic loss of his wife, Janelle. This is a devastating loss for everyone involved in our program. Our players and staff are grieving for Ron, and our top priority is to give him our support."
The two were married in the summer of 2010.