This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Three spectators were injured Saturday night during a demolition derby at the Wasatch County Fairgrounds.
According to Wasatch County Parks & Recreation Director Tom Bonner, the drive line of a truck broke off and went flying into a section of the crowd, which numbered around 7,000. The piece, which Bonner said was about 3 feet long and weighed 50 pounds, injured two women and a boy, Bonner said.
Two of the injured were transported to Heber Valley Medical Center. According to Amy Tuddenham, the medical center's public relations director, the boy was treated and released, and one of the adults was in good condition.
The incident is under investigation, said Bonner.
"All our vehicles go through inspections with mechanics, and nothing was caught," said Bonner. "What we're thinking is it's just an unfortunate accident. In the 40-plus years we've been putting this on, we've never had an incident like this. The drivers said they have never seen anything like this."
Video from the demolition derby, which was staged on a dirt surface normally used for rodeo events, shows little or no protective netting to keep the crowd safe from flying debris, similar to what one sees at a NASCAR or an open-wheeled auto race. Would such safety precautions be implemented for future derby events?
"Until we investigate what happened, if it could happen again, if there are measure to take, then we'll take those measures to protect the safety of the spectators," Bonner said.
Rich Kane