A CEO father from Utah along with his daughter were both killed in a freak accident after a bulldozer fell off a tow truck directly onto their SUV, crushing them to death.
Richard David Hendrickson together with his daughter Sally both died while they were traveling up Ogden Canyon, in eastern Weber County, Utah.
A tow truck that was hauling a bulldozer was coming in the opposite direction along the narrow, two-lane passageway, when the machine toppled off of the back, directly onto the SUV in which they were traveling.
‘As the truck was rounding a curve, the bulldozer dislodged from the tow truck,’ Trooper Heywood of the Utah Highway Patrol explained.
The bulldozer then fell over onto its side in the opposite lane killing Hendrickson and his daughter.
His wife and two of the couple’s other children sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the accident.
‘It is with profound sadness that we announce the tragic and sudden passing of our CEO and President, Richard David Hendrickson, a statement from Lifetime Products, Hendrickson’s company said in a statement on Monday.
‘This heartbreaking incident also claimed the life of one of his daughters, Sally,’ the company explained.
Another daughter was traveling overseas and was not in the family car.
The Utah-based company specialized in outdoor furniture and equipment reports ABC4.
‘Richard started as a welder and progressed through multiple levels of the company to become President and CEO due to his extraordinary talents and abilities,’ said Barry Mower, founder of Lifetime Products.
‘He was one of my most trusted and cherished friends and will be sorely missed. Lifetime will not be the same without him. My love and heartfelt sympathy go out to his dear family.’
Following the tragic deaths, a petition has been launched to limit the type of vehicles that are allowed along the narrow road.
‘Ogden Canyon, the narrow, two-lane passageway connecting Ogden Valley with the city of Ogden, serves as a lifeline for many citizens in Weber County, UT,’ the petition reads.
‘Flanked by the Ogden River on one side and steep mountain cliffs on the other, this precarious piece of infrastructure is a nerve-wracking daily commute for families and young drivers traveling to school and other essential destinations.’
The petition reveals how the road gives ‘little to no shoulder width’ in some sections of the canyon with larger vehicles posing a ‘substantial risk’ to the safety of commuters.