Melarky

Today was the funeral of a 21 year old North Logan woman. Stephanie Johnson and her unborn child died Friday from injuries suffered in a vehicle collision on U.S. Highway 89-91

The intersection of 100 West, Highway 89-91 and the new road by the South Walmart has been the scene of two tragedies in the last 3 1/2 months.

Last July, it was late and I was on my usual route to get home, when I had to take a detour. I could see a lot of flashing police lights and thought it was “just a crash” but didn’t think it would have resulted in a death. A 28-year-old man, Jason Troy Bird, was riding his motorcycle when a red Dodge pickup truck from a business parking lot drove onto U.S. Highway 89/91 near 100 West on the south end of Logan and collided with the motorcycle.

For weeks after that accident I would drive over the same stretch of road and couldn’t help but think of that poor guy, so young. I felt bad for the man in the pickup truck, his life effected forever. I was sad for their families. I was scared for a while to drive that way but time dulled the memory.

Well this week the fear is back. I totally avoid going that way if I can help it.

Reports show that John and Stephanie Johnson of North Logan were crossing the highway Friday night, traveling southeast from 100 West near McDonald’s to the new road by Logan’s Walmart when their Volkswagen Passat collided with a northbound Jeep Cherokee.

The driver of the Cherokee, said police Lt. Rod Peterson, was a juvenile female returning from a Sky View High School basketball game in Weber County with several friends.

The Jeep struck the passenger side of the sedan, leaving Stephanie Johnson with fatal injuries. Emergency medics performed CPR on the woman while she was still seated in the vehicle. She was later airlifted to a hospital outside Cache County.

She was 5 months pregnant. A primary teacher. She just graduated in Dental Assisting from BATC. She just celebrated her 1st wedding anniversary.

I wonder how many more accidents, how many more fatalities will happen before they will put a stop light at that intersection? Do you think there needs to be a stop light? What about a lower speed limit (it’s currently 45MPH, but if your going northbound, cars are usually going a lot faster because your usually coming from the highway which means your already at a higher speed)

Who decides where a stop light is needed? Is it city of Logan or UDOT? These are questions I have. And I’m going to find out. I’ve already contacted Mike Morrill, who is running for Mayor (mostly contacted him because I know him) but I’ll go from there. I’ll keep you posted on what I find out.