Driver dies in crash on I-80 near Lake Point in Tooele County

LAKE POINT, Tooele County — A man died Wednesday in a car crash on eastbound I-80 near Lake Point that caused "significant traffic delays" throughout the afternoon.

Lt. Cam Roden, from the Utah Highway Patrol, said a blue Mustang crashed into the median, killing the lone occupant. A call for a medical helicopter was canceled because of high winds in the area.

The car "drifted off the freeway to the left and struck the center cable barrier," the Department of Public Safety reports. Officers found the 66-year-old driver "slumped over the center console, unresponsive, according to the DPS post. He was "extricated and life-saving measures were attempted, but it was ultimately unsuccessful and he died at the scene."

The crash occurred about 1:10 p.m., according to the DPS, blocking the shoulder and left lane in the two-lane stretch of I-80 just east of Lake Point. Traffic cameras showed a large amount of congestion in the area as emergency crews worked to help the driver and clear the roadway of debris.

The eastbound lane reopened about 5 p.m., but UDOT said delays were expected along I-80 and on northbound state Route 36, as well.

DPS says the cause of the crash is being investigated "as a potential medical episode."

Correction: In an earlier version, the day the crash happened was incorrectly reported as Thursday instead of Wednesday.

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