KDXU Sunrise Stories for September 25, 2023: Little Girl Struck by Vehicle in St. George, Asteroid Samples Land, and a Stand Off at Gunpoint

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 60 

Statewide News – 09/25/23 

Asteroid Sample Lands Safely on Utah Soil 

The sample of rubble from asteroid Bennu, which took seven years to retrieve, landed safely in Utah from mothership Osiris-Rex on September 24. 

The journey to retrieve the sample, which measures at about a cup full, began in 2016 when NASA launched the Osiris-Rex spacecraft. 

It wasn’t until 2020 that Osiris-Rex managed to land on Bennu and collect the sample. 

Officials from NASA said missions like these help scientists “understand how planets formed and how life began.”  

These missions will also “improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.” 

Utah Prison Inmate Found Dead  

Officials are investigating the death of an inmate at the Central Utah Correctional Facility, after he was found dead in his cell on September 24. 

The man, a 66-year-old inmate by the name of Steven Davis, was serving his sentence from sex-related crimes since 1983.  

The Utah State Bureau of Investigation are overseeing the case, but no cause of death has been determined as of yet. 

Fake Bomb Threat at Drag Story Time Event 

Panic ensued at a Salt Lake City bookstore after a bomb threat was issued to the location, which was hosting a drag story time event on the same day. 

The bomb threat ended up being nothing more than a threat, but it still caused the event to be cancelled. 

Mayor Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City said, “Everyone belongs in Salt Lake City. The actions today to cause fear around a drag story time event are not welcome here. We’re looking forward to working with King’s English so this event can happen at a future date for all those who wanted to be there today.” 

Two Elephants Leaving the Hogle Zoo 

A mom and daughter elephant pair will be leaving the Hogle Zoo in the near future. 

Crowds have begun to gather at the Northern Utah zoo to catch one last look at these beloved residents, but they may not be gone forever. 

The elephants, Christie and Zuri, will be transported to a different zoo so they may produce offspring. Staff from the Hogle Zoo said they may return one day after things have settled. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 09/25/23 

Child Struck by Vehicle in St. George 

A little girl was struck by a car in St. George on September 24. 

The girl, who’s reportedly seven years old, was struck by the vehicle in the evening hours on the South side of Morningside Drive. 

A life flight has transported the girl to Las Vegas to receive treatment for her injuries which are reportedly a skull fracture, leg fractures, and brain hematoma. 

Expect to hear more on this unfortunate event as more details come to light. 

Police Standoff on I-15 near St. George 

A police chase involving a stolen vehicle led to a standoff at gunpoint on I-15 by mile post 16 on September 23. 

The man, one Jonathan Valdivia Garcia Jr., reportedly stole a white Ford F-350, leading police on a chase that spanned from Red Cliffs Drive to I-15. 

The chase came to a halt when the stolen vehicle got stuck on the median in the area, causing a standoff with multiple departments becoming involved in the process including police from St. George, Washington City and Hurricane.  

The man was arrested shortly after, but not before Northbound lanes on I-15 came to a complete stop, causing a serious traffic buildup. 

Other 

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

There was a movie that Stockton saw in theaters seven times. It was “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” in May of 2005. Stockton was just eight years old at the time, but he couldn’t get enough of it. It was also the first film premiere he ever went to, and one of the first times he stayed up past midnight by choice. 

Happy Monday, and yes, a Monday can be happy!