Two 13-Year-Olds Killed on Scooter

Two 13-year-old girls were killed Wednesday afternoon in Syracuse, Utah, after the electric scooter they were riding collided with a pickup truck towing a trailer at a neighborhood intersection, according to Syracuse police. The crash happened at about 1:05 p.m. on August 5 near Banbury Drive and Heritage Parkway, south of Syracuse High School, local media reports and a Syracuse police statement said. Emergency crews treated the girls at the scene, but both died from their injuries, police said. The adult male driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, authorities said. ### Where did the crash happen? Banbury Drive and Heritage Parkway was the intersection identified by Syracuse police as the site of the collision. Police said the pickup truck was traveling south on Banbury Drive while the scooter was moving west on Heritage Parkway when the two collided in the intersection. Local reports described the area as a residential neighborhood near Syracuse High School in Davis County. (kutv.com) ### What have police said about how the collision unfolded? Syracuse police said preliminary information indicated the pickup truck was towing a trailer at the time of the crash. The two girls were riding together on one electric scooter when the collision occurred, according to police statements carried by KUTV, KSL and Fox 13. Police have not publicly identified the driver, and officials said they would not speculate about contributing factors before the investigation is complete. (kutv.com) ### Who were the victims? Both victims were 13-year-old girls, Syracuse police said. Authorities had not released their names as of Thursday because families were still being notified, according to police statements reported by local outlets. ABC4 reported that officers described the driver as an adult male. (kutv.com) ### What did officials say after the crash? “The weight of this loss is especially heavy for the families and loved ones of the victims,” the Syracuse Police Department said in a statement reported by KUTV. In a separate statement reported by ABC4, the department said, “The loss of two young lives is a tragedy that will be felt throughout our community.” Police also asked the public to respect the families as they grieve. (kutv.com) ### Who is handling the investigation now? Syracuse police said the investigation is continuing with the Utah Highway Patrol. Authorities have not announced citations, arrests or a cause as of Thursday, based on public statements and local reporting. The Utah Department of Public Safety’s website says crash and police reports are requested through the state’s GovQA public records portal, though the report in this case was not yet publicly detailed in the materials reviewed. (kutv.com) ### What remains unanswered? Police had not said by Thursday whether speed, right-of-way, visibility or road design played a role in the crash. Authorities also had not released the identities of the girls or the driver’s name, and no public timeline was given for a final investigative update. Syracuse police said only that the inquiry remained active and that more details would depend on the completed investigation. (ksl.com) Thursday’s next public step is likely to come from Syracuse police or the Utah Highway Patrol if investigators release the victims’ names, a crash summary or any charging decision. Until then, the confirmed public record is limited to the time, location, ages of the victims and police descriptions of the vehicles involved. (ksl.com)