Police: Garbage truck driver didn't have enough time to react after man walked along road

LAYTON, Utah (KUTV) — A serious crash involving a pedestrian and garbage truck left one man in the hospital and shut down traffic on a busy highway in Layton.

Layton police said it happened on Highway 193 at 1000 West near the southwest corner of Hill Air Force Base around 9 a.m.

The man, believed to be around 18 or 19 years old, was flown by helicopter to University of Utah Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.

Police said the man was driving his red mini cooper westbound when he pulled over on the side of the highway and exited the car, entering the road by foot.

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That's when he was hit by a garbage truck, "as it was headed westbound," said Lt. Travis Lyman, of Layton Police Department. "It approached a car that was also facing westbound, pulled over to the side of the road, with a single male occupant of that car had made his way outside of the car."

Witnesses who saw the man said he walked right out of his car and into the busy street, giving no time for the driver to react or avoid him.

Police are still investigating the incident, but as of now they have no answer as to why this happened.

"We are trying to figure out why he was out of the car and why he ended up in the roadway," Lyman said.

They said the car was not stopped due to mechanical difficulties.

Robinson Waste and Recycling, which was the company that owned the truck, was contacted for comment but said they can't say anything pending further investigation.

The driver is said to have fully cooperated with police after the crash.

Police said the man was not from the area and would not comment if the incident was drug or alcohol related.

Officials said Highway 193 is a high-speed road with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour and advise anyone looking to pull over to find a different road nearby for safety.