Anneka Wilson,Leo Shepherd Obituary, Death; – The wrong-way detection system did not notify drivers prior to the crash that resulted in the deaths of two teenagers, as reported by the Utah Department of Transportation.
On Monday, UDOT confirmed that the wrong-way detection system located on the 600 South off-ramp failed to activate during the fatal wrong-way incident on I-15 that claimed the lives of two 18-year-olds on Saturday.
According to UDOT spokesperson John Gleason, the system is one of 27 wrong-way detection devices that have been installed across the state in the past two years, and the Traffic Operations Center “was not alerted to that particular incident.” The agency has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of this failure.
Authorities report that Jose Angel Torres Jimenez, 21, entered the freeway in the wrong direction from 600 South at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday, colliding head-on near 1900 South with Anneka Wilson and Leo Shepherd, who were en route to Idaho for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Jimenez has been arrested on charges of DUI and automobile homicide.
The Utah Highway Patrol also confirmed that a second suspected DUI wrong-way driver entered I-15 in the same vicinity later that night. A trooper observed the vehicle and managed to stop it before any collision occurred.
Gleason stated that the systems are intended to identify wrong-way movements, activate flashing “WRONG WAY” signs, and alert the state so that troopers can respond promptly.
He noted that the same 600 South system successfully detected a wrong-way driver two weeks prior, but the alert did not function during Saturday’s incident.
UDOT has announced that it is investigating the reasons behind the failure of the alert.
