A dump truck driver who struck and killed six people riding in a pickup truck in Utah on Friday was drunk at the time of the crash, according to law enforcement.
Utah Highway Patrol reported that 41-year-old Jamie Don McKenzie had been driving westbound with a load of dirt on State Route 40 about 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City when he crossed the median into oncoming traffic.
McKenzie struck a pickup carrying six people all of whom were killed.
“In my 13-year career, this is probably the worst crash I’ve ever seen,” Sgt. Lawrence Hopper told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Two additional people in another vehicle were hospitalized with injuries after the driver swerved to avoid the dump truck and crashed.
Troopers reported finding open beer and liquor containers along with a bottle of prescription medicine inside McKenzie’s truck. After being released from a hospital, McKenzie was jailed on six charges of automobile homicide.
