Utah Highway Patrol troopers are investigating the accident that left two dead, injured two others, shattered the group's old-fashioned handcart and sent horses running.

After their investigation, troopers will turn the case over to Sanpete County, and prosecutors will decide whether to file criminal charges against Idaho driver Joe Fiedler.

But spokesman Cameron Roden said Fiedler - a logger who was on his way to work at a site in Fairview Canyon - had no advanced warning that the group of unorthodox travelers was marching ahead of him. Officers believe the man was blinded by the rising sun as he drove east shortly before 8 a.m.

"We have not issued a citation as of right now," Roden said, adding that the highway patrol investigation likely would take a couple weeks.

The UHP was not given any advanced notification that the handcart crews would be hiking alongside State Road 31. It remains unclear where exactly the group was walking on the roadway. That is part of the ongoing investigation.

"If someone is going to be blocking the entire roadway, holding up traffic, making a delay or causing a hazard to motorists, they need to notify us and make sure they give proper advanced warning for traffic," Roden said.

In the case of the handcarts, a flagger car was traveling with the group of pioneer re-enactors, but it was reportedly traveling in front of the party, giving no advanced notice to other eastbound traffic.

"What their rationale was, I'm not sure," Roden said, adding that it may have actually been used as a supply car. "The driver had no advanced warning."

Meanwhile, Hannah Seely, 9, was released from Sanpete Valley Hospital in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday morning, and Johnny Seely, 7, is in fair condition and is improving.

sgehrke@sltrib.com