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NEPHI, Juab County — A Sandy man died Monday after the off-road vehicle he was riding crashed into another person’s vehicle, authorities say.
Robert Bilanzich, 39, of Sandy, died Monday afternoon after he had been riding a four-wheeler in the Sand Mountain Recreation Area in rural Juab County, between Delta and Nephi, according to Juab County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Brent Pulver.
Bilanzich was riding about 1:30 p.m. Monday when he failed to see another rider, who was on a side-by-side in the area, Pulver said. The two collided and Bilanzich suffered fatal injuries.
He was not wearing a helmet, Pulver said. He added that Bilanzich was the sole rider on his four-wheeler, but some of his family members were also riding in the area.
The person he collided with was part of another group, Pulver added.
The area is very remote and is typically only accessible to off-road vehicles, so a medical helicopter was dispatched to the area, Pulver said. The helicopter arrived within 30 minutes after authorities were notified of the accident, he added.
Fatal accidents are “few and far between” in the Sand Mountain area, Pulver said. Crashes are fairly frequent, though, especially on major holiday weekends, he said.
“With it being so remote, a lot of people need to understand that their help may be several minutes to an hour away,” Pulver said.
A GoFundMe account* was set up and has collected more than $4,800.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
Contributing: Natalie Mollinet, KSL
