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On Sunday, May 18, 2025, a fast-moving crash on northbound I-15 near 600 North in Salt Lake City left one driver critically injured after being thrown from their vehicle, and sent a second motorist to the hospital. The collision involved three cars — a black Audi, a red Toyota and a gray Subaru — and forced a multi-hour closure of the freeway during the afternoon.
The crash happened around 3:15 p.m. Witnesses told troopers that the Audi was moving well above the normal flow of traffic in the left lane when it veered sideways. The driver over-corrected, swiped the Toyota, then hit the Subaru before rolling. The Audi’s roof and side collided with the pavement during the tumble, and the driver was ejected in the process. The wreckage left a trail of metal, glass and plastic across the travel lanes.
Emergency crews arrived within minutes. Paramedics immediately took charge of the ejected driver, who was lying on the asphalt as other responders stood by. Officials pronounced the person in critical condition and had them rushed to a local trauma center. The Toyota driver, who had been trapped by a damaged door, was freed and transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition. No information was immediately provided about the gray Subaru’s driver.
Aerial footage from local helicopter news crews showed the overturned Audi taking up the center and left lanes. Fire crews sprayed the area for fuel and used stabilizing equipment to lift the vehicle off the pavement. The northbound side of I-15 was completely shut down while law enforcement mapped the scene and documented tire marks. Salt Lake City police and Utah Highway Patrol worked side by side during the initial response.
The closure caused a serious ripple effect for Sunday traffic. Vehicles were forced off at 600 North, and drivers had to thread their way through surface streets such as 300 West and 500 West. Backup extended for miles, according to UDOT’s traffic cameras. Some commuters posted on social media that what should have been a short trip downtown took more than an hour. The highway eventually reopened after investigators finished their on-scene work, though residual delays continued into the early evening.
Investigators have not yet confirmed the Audi’s exact speed, but early witness accounts point to excessive speed as a major factor. The Utah Highway Patrol’s reconstruction team is expected to examine the car’s event data recorder, which can often give investigators a clear snapshot of speed and braking in the seconds before a crash. They are also checking whether the driver was wearing a seat belt — a key detail in any rollover ejection case. Seat belts cut the odds of fatal injury by nearly half in most crashes, and ejection is one of the most dangerous outcomes because the human body is completely unprotected on the roadway.
Troopers are also reviewing whether any other vehicle played a role in forcing the Audi to swerve. Officials said no one else was detained at the scene, and the investigation is expected to continue for days. Standard toxicology testing for drivers involved in serious crashes is routine, and authorities have not indicated whether impairment is suspected.
Witnesses described the Audi as weaving aggressively just before the loss of control. One person nearby said the driver appeared to be attempting to change lanes at the last second. Investigators are gathering witness statements and looking for video that recorded the moments leading up to the impact.
Anyone who was on northbound I-15 near 600 North at the time of the crash is asked to contact the Utah Highway Patrol’s Salt Lake City headquarters. Dashcam footage from vehicles that were in the area — even those not directly involved — could be critical to determining what happened. Police are asking people not to share the footage on social media first, but to hand it over directly to troopers.
This stretch of I-15 is no stranger to serious accidents. The interchange at 600 North has a series of on-ramps and lane shifts that commonly surprise out-of-town drivers. Local safety advocates have long pointed to speeding and aggressive lane changes as recurring problems on this downtown corridor. Sunday’s crash is another reminder that what happens in the left lane can affect everything around it.
The Utah Department of Public Safety has pushed a message of “slow down, buckle up” in recent public safety campaigns. The agency has repeatedly noted that high speeds remove the margin for error needed to react to other drivers. In this case, a quick over-correction appears to have triggered the chain of events that left a car upside down and a driver fighting for their life in a hospital.
Authorities have not released the names of any of the drivers. They are expected to make an update available once next of kin have been notified.
This is a developing story. News outlets will continue to follow the investigation and will provide updates as officials release new information about the cause of the crash and the conditions of those involved.
