KSL News reported that Patrick A. Clayton, a 31-year-old father from Las Vegas, and his two children, identified as five-year-old Alexa Clayton, and six-year-old Patrick Clayton are listed in critical condition as a result of a rollover accident around 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 24. According to the report, they were traveling in Beaver aboard a Ford Explorer when the front tire blew out causing the SUV to rollover into the median.
The two children were not wearing seat belts and were thrown out of the vehicle. Alexa suffered a possible broken neck while the boy sustained severe head trauma. They were flown by a medical helicopter from the scene of the accident to about 10 miles south of Beaver to a Salt Lake City hospital.
The father, who was driving the vehicle, was taken by an ambulance to a local hospital. He was later transferred by helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.
The mother, identified as 26-year-old Eva Enriquez Plascen, and her son Jorge Gallardo Enriquez, age 9, were taken by ambulance to an area hospital. They were wearing seat belts and were not ejected from the vehicle. Still, they are listed in serious condition.
Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Johnson disclosed that the condition of Patrick Clayton did not improve as of Tuesday.
Rollovers are mostly single-vehicle crashes because they usually do not involve a collision with another vehicle in transport. Some of the possible reasons for a rollover are tire blowout, loss of tire tread, tire belt peel off, tread separation, and tire bead unseating. These tire-related events can make a vehicle lose control, especially at high speeds, and eventually rollover.
Please check your tires before you travel and keep your speed within limits. Do not forget to wear your seat belts. Make it a family habit to check that everyone is properly restrained in their seats.
If you have concerns about personal injury resulting from reckless driving, call us at (801)-506-0800, we have expert lawyers who can assist you with your concerns.
Original article by McKenzie Romero.
Photo courtesy of Matthew Fern.