21-year-old man dead after fiery crash in Bonneville County
IDAHO FALLS, ID —
Allen and Karen Vaalemoen say it was the closest to death they’ve ever been.
At around 10:15 p.m. Saturday, the couple was traveling home from their son’s wedding heading east on 113th S. in Bonneville County.
“I turned and saw lights coming at us at a million miles an hour … and then (my husband) saw the lights and thank God he hit the gas instead of the brakes,” Karen Vaalemoen told EastIdahoNews.com.
The lights were from a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on 15th East, according to a Bonneville County news release. The car failed to stop at the intersection and clipped the Vaalemoen’s vehicle.
The oncoming vehicle continued into an adjacent yard of a nearby residence, striking a rock and a gas line, which launched the vehicle into several large pine trees. Multiple trees were completely destroyed, before the vehicle came to rest on its top.
The vehicle immediately burst into flames and was engulfed in just over a minute.
“It was on fire before we even got turned around,” Karen Vaalemoen said. “It was that quick… people ran up but there was no way to get him out.”
When emergency crews arrived they found the vehicle and a nearby tree fully engulfed in flames. A total of two Idaho Falls Fire Department engines, a water tender, two ambulances and a battalion chief arrived to deal with the flames. Bonneville County Sheriff deputies, Idaho Falls Police and Intermountain Gas personnel also assisted on scene.
After the fire was extinguished emergency crews removed one body from the vehicle. Investigators believe the victim was Julio Tafoya, 21, of Shelley, however, a positive identification is still pending from the Bonneville County Coroner’s Office.
Allen and Karen Vaalemoen were uninjured.
The crash remains under investigation.
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| Speeding and/or drunk driver Julio Tafoya, 21, dies after he hits a rock and a gas line that tossed his car into large pine trees in Idaho Falls, Idaho. |
One dead in fiery two-vehicle crash that breached natural gas line and ignited large pine tree
Bonneville County Sheriff's Office press release
One person died in a fiery two-vehicle crash on Saturday night in Bonneville County that ignited a large pine tree and breached a natural gas line. Stock Image
At 10:15 p.m. on July 21, 2018, Bonneville County Sheriff's Deputies and Idaho Falls Ambulance were dispatched to the intersection of S 15th E and E 113 S (Country Club Road) for a vehicle accident with injuries.
Immediately following the initial dispatch call, IFFD was dispatched to the same location for a report of a vehicle fire.
Upon arrival, emergency personnel found one vehicle resting on its top approximately 15 feet into the yard of the house located near that intersection. The vehicle was fully engulfed in flames and the homeowners were not home at the time of the fire.
The accident was called in by a neighbor.
There were also two large pine trees involved in the accident, one if which was fully engulfed in flames.
A natural gas line was also struck during the crash and but was quickly shut off and made safe by Fire and Intermountain Gas personnel.
From witnesses and evidence on scene, Deputies found that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed south bound on 15th E. And failed to stop at the "T" intersection of 113th S. where it collided with a 2nd vehicle traveling east on 113th S.
The vehicle then collided with trees and landscaping in the front yard of a nearby residence, coming to rest on its top before catching fire.
Witnesses did not see anyone exit the vehicle and after the fire was put out a single deceased occupant was recovered from inside.
Deputies were able to locate family of the vehicle owner and believe the victim to be 21 year old Julio Tafoya of Shelley. The Bonneville County Coroner's Office was called to the scene and positive identification of the victim is still pending at this time.
The 2nd vehicle involved sustained minor damage and its occupants were uninjured from the crash. Bonneville County Coroner and Sheriff's Deputies are continuing to investigate this crash and no further information is available at this time.
Additional resources were called to assist in extinguishing the fire. A total of two engines, a water tender, two ambulances and a battalion chief. Idaho Falls Police Dept. also assisted on scene.