At 8:32 pm Saturday night in Taylorsville, a man driving a pickup truck slammed into the back of the Thurber’s car as Matt, Holden, and Zane Thurber waited at the red light in the intersection of 5400 south and 1300 west. The crash ended in the tragic death of three-year-old Zane Thurber, and injured his six-year-old brother Matt and his father, Holden.
Moments before the crash, police received several calls and complaints of a reckless driver, but before they could locate the driver, the crash had already occurred. By the time they arrived at the scene, Police found that five cars had been involved in the crash and that the reckless driver who caused it was Manuel de Jesus Guinea, 45, from Kearns.
“After the crash, he got out of the car and tried to blend in with the crowd that was around helping,” Lt. Justin Hoyal of the Unified Police Department said. “A citizen grabbed onto him and held him until officers arrived and took him into custody.”
According to the police reports for probable cause, witnesses claimed Guinea “definitely smelled like a bar” and was too impaired to give his name and social security number when prompted by the Police. He was only identified by a Utah Driver’s Privilege card found on Guinea’s person.
Unified police have reportedly arrested Manuel de Jesus Guinea, 45, from Kearns, and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence.
While police take care of the investigation, it is important that we keep Zane Thurber, as seen in the picture on the right, and his family in our thoughts and prayers. All of us at Christensen & Hymas offer our sincerest condolences to the family and to all that were involved. We wish you the best and hope that you will be able to find peace and comfort in these hard times.
If any of our readers are wondering how they can help or offer condolences to Zane’s family, relatives of the Thurber family have set up an online Funeral & Medical Expenses Fund where you can donate. The family has mentioned that the driver who hit them most likely does not have insurance, and so they would appreciate any help you can offer them as they try to cover the expenses resulting from this sorrowful event.
Original Story by Tiffany DeMasters, Mark Green and Carly Figueroa at Fox 13 and Amy Joi O’Donoghue at KSL News.
Picture found at the Thurber Family Funeral & Medical Expense Fund