Pregnant woman, one of two couples, ATV driver killed in crash on Highway 6

PRICE – The five people killed in a crash on Highway 6 Thursday have now been identified as two couples from Minnesota and a man from Helper who was driving an ATV.

The authorities have now also confirmed that one of the victims was pregnant. The couple had just married in March.

Social media posts from friends said the other couple killed had six children.

“Nobody, including me, expected yesterday that we would have to deal with the tragedy we caused,” said Sgt. Chris Pugliese of the Utah Highway Patrol.

According to UHP, the accident occurred after an SUV exceeded the acceleration lane, struck a semi-truck and collided head-on with a Nissan Rogue, killing the four occupants. The tractor-trailer also struck and killed an ATV driver, now identified as 35-year-old Gustavo Mendoza of Helper.

“The best way to put it: absolutely wrong place, wrong time. It was accidental. This path (that Mendoza rode) is used daily by cyclists and ATV riders,” Pugliese said.

According to UHP, the couples were vacationing in Utah in the Nissan Rogue and were traveling in another car from their church group that was driving in front of them at the time of the accident. They managed to avoid being hit. But members of that group told UHP that 25-year-old Mai Lor was pregnant.

“(This is based on) statements from the rest of the church group that was with them,” Pugliese said.

UHP confirmed the three others in the Nissan Rogue: Sang Her (56), Lee Thao (38) and Bee Moua (26).

Family friends who spoke to KSL TV said Moua and Lor only got married in March. The relationship with her and Thao is unknown. The couples are said to belong to the Hmong community, an indigenous group in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the accident occurred on US 6 at milepost 235 and left one lane open to both directions for several hours.

Pugliese said two people in the SUV caused the accident, with a woman driving. They are said to have only suffered minor injuries. The driver of the large truck also suffered minor injuries.

Pugliese said the crash remains under investigation to determine whether charges may be filed.

He urged drivers to slow down.

“No one who was there thought I might not make it home today,” Pugliese said. “And that’s a common thought on our highway. So just get where you’re going safely and give other people some space.”

This is a current story and may be updated.