A 30 year-old Tooele volunteer firefighter is suspected tonight, January 22, 2009, of driving under the influence and causing the death of two persons near the cities of Tooele and Grantsville, Utah. According to KSL News, the deceased men have been identified as 54-year-old Michael Haydon of Grantsville and 83-year-old Alan Carlson of Lake Point. According to reports, a Ford pickup truck driven by a Tooele volunteer firefighter was weaving on State Road 112 just prior to the crash.
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
According to witnesses, a Chevy Corsica coming in the opposite direction, driven by Michael Haydon, attempted to steer out of the way of the approaching truck. Because of slippery conditions, Haydon locked his brakes and the two vehicles collided head on. Troopers investigating the crash say that the interior of the truck cab smelled strongly of alcohol. The name of the truck driver has not been released. By reports, he received serious injuries from this Tooele-Grantsville car crash.
UHP Cpl. Andrew Prescott reported: “From what we are being told from witnesses, the pickup truck had been drifting across the center line and, as it approached the other vehicles traveling towards Grantsville, it had drifted across.” Another UHP officer, Sgt. Jeff Nigbur, said: “The Ford was all over the road. It looks like he might have come over into that lane. A Chevy Corsica took evasive maneuvers and hit head-on.”
Although officials say that icy roads in the area and freezing rain contributed to about six other crashes along the I-80 today, that weather wasn’t a factor in the crash since the road was “just wet at the time of the accident.” Officials report that Michael Haydon died at the scene while Alan Carlson died after he got to the hospital.
The reason why drunk driving is such a serious offense is because it inflicts serious injuries and death among innocent people who happen to come into a drunk driver’s path. Although officials have not confirmed if the firefighter was in fact drinking while driving, we do know that he had an open container in his truck. We also know by accounts that he was “all over the road” just before the crash happened. But whether he was drunk or not, his actions still caused the deaths of two innocent men.
The families of these men, including spouses, children and/or parents, have a claim for “wrongful death” against the Tooele fireman and/or his insurance company. Since the crash happened around 11:00 a.m., the man may have been “on-the-clock,” such that a claim may also be made against his employer. Mr. Haydon’s auto policy most likely has additional coverage in the form of “under-insured” coverage that could be available in this case. Of course, this is little consolation to the families that lost these two men. Yet there needs to be accountability for the lives that this man took.
Published by: Ron Kramer
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