KDXU Sunrise Stories for August 17, 2023: A family loses their home, a daughter is abandoned, and is that a UAP?

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 35 

Statewide News – 08/17/23 

Utah House Representative Resigns 

Utah House Rep. Quin Kotter announced on August 16 that he will be resigning from the House of Representatives. 

Kotter told the Speaker of the House that he will resign on September 9, leaving the District 26 seat open. 

“Life circumstances” have a factor in Kotter’s decision. Kotter said that it’s become difficult to “devote [his] full attention to the role.” 

No word has been given yet regarding election plans for the District 26 seat. 

Utah Highway Patrol Cracking Down on DUI’s 

More Utah Highway Patrol officers are on the lookout for DUI cases across Utah in preparation for Labor Day weekend. 

Over 180 extra shifts have been scheduled with various agencies for DUI enforcement. 

The Department of Public Safety said there have been over 500 alcohol or drug-related crashes in 2023 with 51 fatalities counted. 

250 Grand on the Line at Pickleball Tournament 

Pro pickleball players have flocked to Brigham City for a pickleball tournament with a grand prize of $250,000.  

The Vulcan Tournament of Champions is in full swing and will continue until August 19. 

Brigham City has been hosting the tournament since 2015, but the tournament is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 08/17/23 

RV Fire Leaves Family Without a Home 

A mother from Hurricane and her four children woke up to a wall of heat and smoke in the early hours of August 15. 

The mother, Hayle Thompson, worked as fast as she could to get her four children out of their RV home and then contacted the authorities. 

Fire workers from the Hurricane Valley Fire District arrived at the scene to find the mother and her four children outside of the RV, which was completely engulfed in flames.  

Thompson, her 4-year-old, and her 1-year-old had to transferred to a hospital in Las Vegas due to their injuries.  

The family lost their home in the fire, and a GoFundMe has been created to assist with their living expenses. 

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated. 

Mother Abandons Infant Daughter in Stranger’s Driveway 

A mother in Washington City has been arrested for abandoning her infant daughter at a stranger's home, and then fleeing from the scene. 

36-year-old Kylie Lynn Smith pulled into a resident’s driveway at a high speed on August 15, hitting the back of a pickup truck before leaving her daughter behind and driving away. 

Smith’s been arrested on many charges including reckless driving, child abuse, child abandonment, and intoxication among others. 

UAP SPOTTED!...Or Maybe Not 

Residents of Washington County looked to the sky to see a balloon-like object flying over Southern Utah.  

Before the theory of aliens could be brought to the table, an explanation was given. 

Sean Kirkus, who’s a resident of Washington City, took to the St. George Word of Mouth Facebook group to claim his property, saying it was an experiment, and requested the public to please not shoot down the object. 

Check out the post here.

We’ve reached out to Kirkus about his experiment, and we’ll report back once we hear from him. 

Other 

Fun fact about Stockton Myers, the writer of Sunrise Stories. 

Stockton will never get a tattoo...but if he HAD to choose where to get a tattoo, he would probably get a certain golden triangle from a certain beloved property on the back of his left hand. If you know, you know. 

We’re almost to the end of the week! Be sure to stay vigilant while driving around in Southern Utah.