Semi hauling backhoe crashes into canyon bend, killing driver in Utah

Updated Jun 19, 2015

The driver of a truck hauling a backhoe in Utah was killed over the weekend after he lost control of the rig while traveling down a canyon road.

According to a report from the Deseret News, 48-year-old Troy Young was killed in a crash while transporting a backhoe along state Route 31 in Fairview Canyon.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers tell the paper Young was traveling at high speed down the canyon road when the truck’s breaks overheated as he approached a curve. Troopers said Young entered the opposite lane as he took the bend before over-correcting the truck, causing him to crash into a hillside.

According to a report from FOX 13 TV, the truck traveled up the hillside a short distance before rolling, sending the backhoe flying from the trailer.

Troopers said Young was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. He was ejected from the cab of the truck and killed. “UHP is investigating whether drugs may have contributed to this fatality,” the department said in a statement.