Washington City man dies after modified tricycle crash

A 20-year-old Washington City man involved in a crash while using a modified tricycle on Wednesday died after suffering head trauma in the incident.

Zachary Hunter Lusk had been riding down a steep trail called “Hell Hole” in the undeveloped area immediately south of the Washington Parkway and Telegraph Street intersection, said Washington City Fire Chief Brent Hafen.

Lusk was the son of a Dixie Middle School teacher who similarly died of head trauma last year when she was struck by a passing motorist while she was jogging.

The trail Lusk was riding on drops down to connect with a paved jogging and bicycling trail that connects with Washington City’s Sullivan Park and is popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

“It’s kind of a trend now that kids are taking (tricycles) and putting wheels on the back,” Hafen said Thursday.

Lusk was riding “a children’s tricycle that they had modified the rear tires on,” he said.

“It allows them to power slide,” Hafen said. “Obviously, there’s no braking system other than dragging your feet. … He got going too fast and went head first into a pile of lava rocks.”

Emergency crews responded to reports of the crash around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and found Lusk unconscious.

Lusk’s obituary, which will be published Monday in The Spectrum & Daily News, states he died later, which Hafen confirmed.

Lusk graduated from Pine View High School in 2013, where he had served on the Washington City Youth Council and participated in Future Business Leaders of America, according to the obituary.

State Sen. Jim Dabakis was among those extending condolences online through social media, and Lusk’s Facebook profile includes a photo of himself with Salt Lake City Mayor-elect Jackie Biskupski.

“RIP dear Zachary Lusk, forever 20. I have never met a finer young man,” Dabakis wrote. “Zachary, I would have been proud to call you my son. Zack was to be my intern for the Session. He was producing my TV show. At Eccles School at the U of U, he was loved. How can this be?”

The TV show refers to Dabakis' "UP with Jim Dabakis," which airs Sunday mornings on Salt Lake City's ABC channel. Video content of the shows is available online at Utah Progressives, which Lusk joined in September.

Lusk appeared with Dabakis in the Dec. 13 episode.

Carmen Snow posted from the Youth Council’s account that Lusk was a “great example … for youth.”

Snow and others offering their condolences noted that it was the second recent tragedy for the family, referring to last year’s jogging incident. Lusk’s mother, Terri, was killed by a passing motorist as she and a friend were jogging along Red Hills Parkway.

No criminal charges were filed in that case after investigators determined sun glare likely contributed to the accident and no definitive information was provided on whether Terri was in the roadway.

According to Lusk’s obituary, his funeral services will take place Monday at 11 a.m. in the Washington Third LDS Ward Chapel at 700 E. Telegraph St., less than a mile from where Lusk died. Visitations will take place prior to the funeral and Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Metcalf Mortuary in St. George.

Interment will be at the Washington City Cemetery.

Follow Kevin Jenkins, @SpectrumJenkins. Call him at 435-674-6253.

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On The Web

Lusk and Dabakis in Utah Progressives' Dec. 13 episode