Vehicle rollover kills boy and hospitalizes woman

A seven-year-old boy died and a 65-year-old woman was hospitalized in serious condition after a single vehicle accident on I-84 near Howell, Thursday morning.

Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Lee Perry said the four people, two grandparents and two grandchildren, were travelling in a Chevrolet Silverado truck heading west when they drifted off the road, over-corrected and rolled near mile post 26.

First witnesses to arrive on the scene told troopers, the seven-year-old boy, Joey Garza, was walking around after the accident when he began having a seizure and stopped breathing. CPR was performed unsuccessfully and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. His body was turned over to State Medical Examiners, to determine the exact cause of death.

The 65-year-old woman, Irma Garza, was unconscious and had a laceration to her head. She was flown by medical helicopter to McKay Dee Hospital in critical condition. The other two people, 66-year-old Praxis Garza-Salina and 10-year-old Valerie Garza were also taken by ground ambulance to Bear River Medical Center with minor injuries.

Perry said the four people are from Texas and were traveling to Washington State. Troopers believe Garza-Salina may have suffered from fatigue just before the accident. They later determined that the boy was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle during the accident.

The accident occurred around 5:20 a.m. One lane of I-84 was temporarily shut down while crews cleared the accident.

Perry said the accident was a terrible tragedy.

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