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Show Three Killed, Many More Hurt In San Juan County Accident By Gordon Huvennr Three Ute Indians died and twelve others suffered serious ser-ious injuries when a pickup truck careened off U. S. Highway 163 two miles north of Bluff, a tthe top of Cow Canyon. Investigating officers Claude Lacey of the Utah Highway Patrol and San Juan County Sheriff's Deputy John Du-fer, Du-fer, said the accident occurred occur-red shortly before 10 a.m. Monday, when the pickup truck driven by Stanley Le-hi, Le-hi, 19, of White Mesa, left the road loaded with fourteen four-teen passengers, five in the cab and ten in the back. Pronounced dead at the scene were Mary Wheat, 63, Jane White, 76, and Valerie Yellow, 2. Two of the three victims were pinned under the overturned vehicle at tins bottom of .the steep canyon. Injured and admitted to the San Juan County Hospital Hospi-tal in Monticello are Lily Wheat Taylor Rabbitt, 42; Pochief Mike Kctchum, 65, both in critical condition. Suffering less serious injuries but still hospitalized are the driver, Stanley Lehi, 19; AI-vina AI-vina Yellow, 4 months; Stephanie Ste-phanie Lehi, 1; Jane Lehi, 22; Martha Morse, 25; Bren-don Bren-don Morse, 4; Jimmy Lellow, 24; Julie Yellow, 24; Stella Eyetoo, 47; J. I. Casey, 55. All but Casey, who is from Tuba City, Arizona, are residents res-idents of the White Mesa Ute Indian Reservation, located b.tween Blanding and Bluff. According to invesiigatinr officers the truck did not ;ip. pear to be speeding, but lh.it Lehi just drove off of the f.rst turn in the sicp canyon can-yon scattering passengers down the hillside until the truck came to rest on its top in the rocky sireambed. Ambulances were called from both Blanding and Blulf to transport the injured to Monticello for treatment. Trooper Lacey said that Lehi was more than familiar with the road as he drove it almost daily and there was no apparent reason for the accident. He said the investigation in-vestigation was continuing. |