Driver suffers critical burns in high-speed crash in Kearns

KEARNS, Utah – A driver accused of speeding through Kearns early Saturday morning suffered serious burns and injuries after being thrown from the road when their vehicle crashed and caught fire.

Taylorsville police said they received calls around 1:40 a.m. of a car on fire in the parking lot of a McDonald’s at 5400 South 3900 West.

Police say the unknown driver was traveling at a high rate of speed when he came to a spot with a slight bend in the road. The driver lost control and became stuck in the center divider before crossing the road, hitting a local oil change location and coming to a stop in the McDonald’s parking lot.

The force of the impact caused the car to break apart and the driver was thrown away. The fire was so intense that police could not determine what type of car it was.

The seriously injured driver was airlifted to University of Utah Hospital.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing as officials try to determine if alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash.