Police say a southbound Audi in northbound lanes hit a Nissan head-on near 1900 South early Saturday.
SALT LAKE CITY — Two young people were killed early Saturday when a wrong-way driver collided head-on with their vehicle on Interstate 15 near 1900 South, police said. The Audi driver, 21, survived with non-life-threatening injuries and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Authorities say the crash unfolded before dawn as the Thanksgiving travel weekend continued to push more cars onto Utah’s busiest freeway. Investigators with the Utah Highway Patrol and Salt Lake City police are reconstructing the sequence of events and reviewing potential impairment, lane-entry points and speeds. The wrong-way path reportedly began around the 600 South on-ramp and ended less than two miles north, where the Audi struck a northbound Nissan head-on. The impact sparked a fire and drew multiple 911 calls. The deaths have renewed attention to wrong-way collisions along I-15 through the urban core and prompted a broader review of ramp signage and detection systems now in place or planned.
Troopers said the Audi traveled south in the northbound lanes shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday. The car collided with a Nissan Rogue carrying two teens who were heading toward Idaho. The victims were identified as 18-year-old Leo Shepherd and 17-year-old Anneka Wilson. First responders arrived within minutes and attempted life-saving measures, but both died at the scene, according to state troopers. The Audi driver, identified by police as Jose Angel Torres Jimenez, 21, was taken to a hospital and later booked into jail. “This is one of the hardest scenes our troopers have worked,” Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Luis Silva said, noting debris and burn damage spread across multiple lanes.
Investigators collected roadway evidence, including skid marks, vehicle modules and dashcam footage from nearby drivers. Crews shut the northbound lanes for several hours between 1300 South and 2100 South to document the crash site and clear wreckage. Officials said the Audi entered the freeway going the wrong way from the 600 South area, but the exact ramp and the timeframe between entry and impact remain under review. Police have not released a measured speed estimate. They confirmed alcohol is suspected and that blood evidence was obtained under a warrant. The Nissan caught fire after the collision, and firefighters extinguished the blaze while medics tended to the injured driver.
Saturday’s wreck came during one of the year’s heaviest travel periods, when I-15 through Salt Lake City often carries long-distance traffic before dawn. State records show wrong-way crashes are rare but disproportionately deadly because of closing speeds and head-on impacts. Utah transportation officials have added red “Wrong Way” signs, LED flashers and pilot radar-based detection at selected ramps in recent years. The stretch through central Salt Lake City includes multiple on- and off-ramps within short distances, a design that can complicate quick corrections once a driver turns the wrong way. Officials said a formal engineering review will consider signage and potential technology upgrades for the ramps closest to the crash site.
Police said Jimenez was arrested on suspicion of two counts of automobile homicide, a second-degree felony in Utah, along with DUI-related offenses and wrong-way driving. Prosecutors will review the case and determine formal charges. Investigators plan to submit a full report this week, including toxicology results once available. Court records and booking documents are expected to be filed in Salt Lake County. The Utah Highway Patrol said it will release additional information after laboratory reports return and vehicle data modules are analyzed. Funeral plans for Shepherd and Wilson were not immediately announced. A community vigil is being discussed by relatives, who described the pair as kind and close-knit.
As traffic reopened late Saturday morning, burned asphalt and a mangled barrier remained near 1900 South. Drivers slowed through the area while tow crews removed the Nissan’s charred frame. A bystander who pulled over, Michael Jensen, said he saw flames “higher than the lane signs” and heard popping from the wreckage. Another witness, commuting north for work, said several vehicles honked at the wrong-way Audi moments before impact. Neighbors in the Ballpark area reported sirens for more than half an hour as engines and ambulances cycled through the ramps.
The investigation remains active. A probable cause statement and any formal charges could be filed as early as Monday. Officials said they will share the next update after evidence processing and prosecutor review. A briefing is expected once toxicology testing is complete in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated December 1, 2025.