Provo » The state and Utah County may have moved too quickly to seal Nutty Putty Cave, a Utah County Commission candidate believes.
Joel Wright, a Cedar Hills attorney, told the Utah County Commission Tuesday that the county and the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) should have sought public comment before turning the cave into a tomb for John Jones, who died after becoming trapped inside the cave two days before Thanksgiving.
"Nutty Putty Cave is one of Utah County's natural treasures, and it should be managed by the county," Wright said.
At SITLA's direction, the county sealed the cave in two places on Dec. 3. Crews used explosives to seal off the part of the cave where Jones' body remains, and a concrete plug was put in at the entrance.
Wright said a temporary seal could have been used, and a recovery crew could have gone in later to retrieve Jones' body.
Jones became stuck in a spot that was 10 inches high and 18 inches wide. An attempt to pull him from the cave failed when an anchor came loose from the cave wall, and Jones slipped back into the crevice where he died after a 26-hour rescue effort.
Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy said the decision to close the cave was the state's call, and one he said was not based on emotion. It was about protecting the public from a biological hazard -- Jones' body -- as well as respecting what has become his tomb.
"If there were no barriers, there would be nothing to stop people [from going in] to do things to the body," Tracy said.
The county had looked at drilling down from above to get Jones' body, but Tracy said that would cost $1 million and it would be difficult, at best, to place the hole with precision.
While the plug at the entrance could be removed someday to allow access to safer portions of the cave, Tracy said the rubble seal guarding Jones' body will remain in place.
Commission Chairman Larry Ellertson said he was briefed on the reasons for sealing the cave and that he agreed with them.
After hearing Tracy's explanation, Wright said he understood the decision to seal the cave. But he said SITLA should transfer any recreational properties in its portfolio to state parks or county government.
