This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

One man was critically hurt Sunday morning after driving off Interstate 15 and crashing into a sound wall in Salt Lake City.

A pickup truck was westbound on 600 North when the driver tried to get onto I-15 from the on-ramp, but "due to the excessive speed, [he] lost control and the pickup yawed off the roadway to the right," according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

About 1:50 a.m., the pickup crashed into a concrete sound wall, breaking one of the concrete sections and causing significant damage to the front of the pickup.

Both the driver and his sole passenger were knocked unconscious. Troopers' preliminary indications are that the driver was not wearing his seat belt and suffered some head trauma as a result, according to UHP.

The 37-year-old driver was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, but has since been stabilized. His 35-year-old passenger, who appeared to have been wearing his seat belt, refused medical treatment, according to UHP.

"There are signs that the driver had been drinking and troopers are investigating possible DUI charges," UHP said in a statement. "This collision is a perfect example of how simply wearing a seat belt can prevent serious injuries. UHP urges all drivers and all passengers to buckle up every trip, every time."

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