This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Hopes for recovery were buoyed on Monday for two women who suffered extensive injuries in a weekend crash onto rail lines near a South Salt Lake viaduct.

South Salt Lake police spokesman Gary Keller said the driver of a minivan, a 22-year-old Murray woman, remained in "extremely critical" condition, but doctors had reported "she was doing better than expected." A 17-year-old female passenger, from Taylorsville, was critical but stable.

About 5:30 a.m. Sunday, the women were westbound on 3300 South when they neared the viaduct that goes over the rail lines at 250 West. The minivan's driver lost control, went through a guardrail and two fences, down an embankment, and rolled onto its roof on the Union Pacific tracks.

The driver, who was not believed to have been wearing a seat belt, was ejected. Her passenger, who was wearing a seat belt, was retrieved from the upside-down minivan by emergency workers.

A second vehicle, containing acquaintances of the injured, witnessed the accident.

An investigation into the crash remained underway.

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