This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers could only watch in horror as a Sandy woman driving the wrong way on Interstate 215 was killed in a head-on collision late Wednesday night.
Just before midnight, 22-year-old Chanel S. Nielsen was spotted by troopers as she entered oncoming traffic on I-15 from 5300 South — going southbound in the northbound lanes.
UHP units, their light bars and sirens activated, followed on the opposite side of the freeway, trying to get her attention, said UHP Sgt. Todd Royce said.
However, Nielsen continued on, switching onto I-215 — now going eastbound in the westbound lanes of traffic..
Still heading the wrong way in her Mazda hatchback, she then collided with an eastbound Subaru station wagon near 1700 East.
Troopers said Nielsen, who was not wearing her seatbelt, was dead at the scene.
The male driver of the second vehicle, 27-year-old Michael W. McMillian, 27, of South Jordan, remained in critical condition Thursday afternoon at Intermountain Medical Center, spokesman Jess Gomez said.
It took several hours to clear wreckage and reopen the affected stretch of I-215 by early Thursday morning.
Several other vehicles were involved in chain-reaction collisions in the moments after the initial crash, but no further injuries were reported.
Interviews with family members and investigation of the woman's activities shortly before the crash reportedly indicated she had been drinking, UHP said.
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