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MAGNA — The Utah Highway Patrol is still investigating a head-on collision that killed two people and left one in extremely critical condition Friday.
The accident occurred on State Route 201 near 12000 West in Magna after Rachel Funk's vehicle, apparently travelling with a blown tire, lost control or swerved into oncoming traffic clipping a gray pickup and crashing head-on with a 1990 Ford Festiva.
It took rescue crews 15 to 20 minutes to extricate Funk, 34, out of the wrong-way vehicle before sending her by medical helicopter to a local hospital. Investigators were unable to speak with her Friday.
"They need to interview her to see exactly what was happening but they do believe the tire was flat but they don't know if that was 100 percent what contributed to it," Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Todd Johnson said.
Jared Hamby, 30, of Salt Lake, and Nannette Baird, 32, of Taylorsville were pronounced dead at the scene.
UHP Sgt. Blaine Robbins said investigators don't know why the driver traveled so far down the wrong side of the road without pulling over or just stopping.
"We don't believe alcohol was a factor, we don't believe it was a medical problem or anything like that was a factor. It's kind of a mystery right now. There's a lot to be looked at, a lot to be investigated, because we really don't know at this time," he said. "At this point there's a lot of unknowns."
Several other motorists stopped to lend assistance to the victims immediately after the collision.
"If you blow a tire, get yourself pulled over and get it fixed. We don't recommend driving on it," Robbins said.
Contributing: Jeff Finley
