Like most 18-year-old boys, Johnathan was outgoing and just starting his life. He loved to longboard, take pictures of nature, and, most of all, he loved to drive. He would go on long drives, especially through the mountains, where he loved to find new roads. As a little boy, Johnathan had memorized all the roads. He could tell anyone how to get to Grandma’s house, and he would draw street signs and traffic lights and hang them all over his room.

Just after 10:30 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2024, Johnathan was driving north on I-15 with a friend, heading to pick up a dog. The roads were slick with black ice, and as he drove near Willard, his car spun out and crashed. Johnathan, a safe driver who was going below the speed limit, was not seriously hurt. A good Samaritan stopped to help, and Johnathan, always thinking of others, got out to cut his friend’s airbag. In that split second, another car lost control on the ice and slid into the median. It struck the helpful driver’s car, then crashed into Johnathan’s car, pushing Johnathan, who was standing outside of the vehicle, over the concrete barrier.

We were in bed when we got the call. It actually came up as a spam call, so we didn’t answer at first. I got the voicemail, and then the phone rang again, and I answered it. It was a social worker telling us we needed to come to McKay-Dee Hospital now. We immediately drove from Grantsville to the hospital. Johnny’s mom and his sister were already there, along with the doctors. It felt like a movie. They walked us back to a room and said, “We did everything we could.” That was it—Johnny had passed away by the time he got there.

Our Message to You
If the roads are snowy or icy, please wait until they are safe to drive. Johnathan’s love for driving and his compassionate nature led him to get out of his car that night. Our first instinct is often to help others when they are stranded or hurt on the freeway, but the best and safest thing you can do for everyone is to stay in your vehicle, stay buckled, and call 911.