KDXU Up To The Minute News

Spreading Illness Affecting Horses

High school rodeo riders in Utah are having their competitions delayed or canceled due to the spread of an illness affecting horses.  Horse herpes has been found in Nevada and Arizona, so state officials have acted quickly to try to stop it from spreading to Utah. But Utah High School Rodeo Association President Shamus Haws says his group can't make up any more of the canceled rodeos this year.  Horse owners say that's a small price to pay to keep their animals safe.

Nevada Man with Dementia Killed on I-15

A Nevada man whose car stopped in the right lane of I-15 Saturday morning near Cedar City was struck by a semi and killed.   Sixty-two-year-old Leif Johansson, driving a small passenger car, had stopped in the right lane of I-15 northbound near Mile Marker 93.  A few minutes later a U-P-S semi truck hit the car, then jack-knifed into the median and pushed it onto the shoulder.  Johansson died at the scene.  Officials say Johansson had gone missing in Henderson, Nevada, and may have had dementia.

Hurrincane Suspect in High Speed Chase Arrested

Police in Hurricane say they've arrested a man after a high-speed chase involving a stolen truck.  The 35-year-old suspect was spotted in the stolen vehicle at a Hurricane Walmart around 7 p.m. last night.  Police say the truck reached speeds of up to 100-miles-an-hour before the suspect ditched it and fled on foot.  Police issued a warning for residents to stay inside their homes and keep their doors locked while officers searched for the suspect.  He was caught around 9:30.

More Earthquakes in Southern Utah

The U.S. Geological Survey says three earthquakes were recorded in central Utah over the weekend.  A four-point-one magnitude quake was reported about ten miles from Black Rock Saturday night.  A quake with a magnitude of two-point-nine was reported about ten minutes later.  The third quake was recorded about a half-hour after the second at a magnitude of one-point-nine.  Several people said they felt the quakes but no damage or injuries have been reported.

Ken Garff Family Donates 17.5 Million Dollars

A record-setting donation is leading the way toward the expansion of the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium.  The university announced Saturday that the Ken Garff family has donated 17-point-five-million-dollars to the 80-million-dollar project.  Bob Garff says he hopes the stadium will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics if Utah succeeds in its bid to host the games.

Man Jumps From Vehicle and Killed

A man who jumped out of a minivan near the Highway 201 Interchange on I-215 is dead.  Trooper John Dormer of the Utah Highway Patrol said two people in the white minivan were arguing early Saturday morning, just before one of them jumped out.  The man died from impact injuries.  Officials are looking for anyone who saw the incident.

Driver Hit and Killed in Grand County

A driver is dead after being hit by a truck in Grand County Saturday night.  Grand County Emergency Medical Services said it happened at the intersection of Highway 191 and Resource Boulevard around 9 in the evening.  A driver going southbound got of their car and was standing in the travel lane, loading some items.  That was when a southbound truck trying to avoid a car in the center lane veered to the right, hitting and killing the person.  The name of the victim hasn't been released.

Pilot Lands Small Plane at Old St. George Airport

A pilot traveling from Washington State mistakenly landed on the site of the old St. George Airport. Police and firefighters from St. George received a call at 5 p.m. Saturday night from the Dixie Technical College after they reported seeing a small single airplane land on the runway. A pilot and one passenger were on board the single-engine Rallye Commodore. The pilot told first responders he was following computerized navigation which showed the aircraft was close to an airport.  The plane hit the runway, now replaced with gravel causing damage to the propeller. There were no injuries reported and police wrote off the incident as a misunderstanding on the pilot's part.