facebook-pixel

Donovan Mitchell witnessed a car accident — and pulled over to stop and help

Donovan Mitchell surveys the scene of a Monday afternoon car accident in Salt Lake City. (Photo: Atiragram00, Twitter)

Donovan Mitchell surveys the scene of a Monday afternoon car accident in Salt Lake City. (Photo: Atiragram00, Twitter)

Most drivers have done it. A car or two look badly damaged as the result of a collision, so you slow down to survey the damage before continuing along to your destination. The practice is so common it has a name: rubbernecking.

Few people, though, stop and help. That’s what Donovan Mitchell did, though, in an accident he witnessed on Sunday after his team’s practice.

“I was driving by, a lady was falling out of her car, the airbags went off, she was grabbing her chest and I was like, ‘Oh shoot.’ Like a natural instinct to found out what happened," Mitchell explained. Mitchell ended up calling 911 to report the accident.

Jazz fan Margarita Terry drove by, saw Mitchell helping, and snapped the picture above.

Mitchell reported later that everyone involved in the collision, which occurred at 400 S. West Temple, was OK. After Mitchell’s 911 call, police came and sorted it all out.

It’s true — Mitchell didn’t do much. But as Terry points out, there might not be many NBA players willing to make a stop.

“I was just going out there to make sure she was OK,” Mitchell said. “I don’t want to make it like a big, big deal.”

Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.