SACRAMENTO, CA – A deadly incident in Utah has claimed the life of a devoted father of seven, identified as Maksym Vechirko, 35, from Sacramento, California. The fatal crash, caused by an allegedly impaired driver, occurred in Tooele County on Saturday morning around 9:09 a.m.
Maksym Vechirko was on a mission to provide for his large family, delivering fruit at the time of the accident. A GoFundMe page established to support his wife and seven children, which has received over $107,000 in donations, reveals that the couple is expecting their eighth child.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, Vechirko had pulled over on the right shoulder of the eastbound I-80 and was standing outside his Mercedes Sprinter van and trailer when tragedy struck. The trailer was hit by a Hyundai Elantra, which then collided with Vechirko, inflicting fatal injuries. Thankfully, no other injuries were reported in the crash.
According to reports, Vechirko was the son of a passenger in the same vehicle. The alleged driver of the car that struck Vechirko was identified as Shelby Kenneth Secrist, 43. Authorities reportedly discovered controlled substances in Secrist’s vehicle, as per a probable cause statement. Subsequently, Secrist was arrested on multiple charges, including automobile homicide, DUI, possession of drugs and paraphernalia, and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Secrist has entered a plea or if he has retained legal representation.