21-year-old man dead after fiery crash in Bonneville County - East Idaho News
Idaho Falls

21-year-old man dead after fiery crash in Bonneville County

  Published at  | Updated at

IDAHO FALLS — Allen and Karen Vaalemoen say it was the closest to death they’ve ever been.

At around 10:15 p.m. Saturday, the couple was traveling home from their son’s wedding heading east on 113th S. in Bonneville County.

“I turned and saw lights coming at us at a million miles an hour … and then (my husband) saw the lights and thank God he hit the gas instead of the brakes,” Karen Vaalemoen told EastIdahoNews.com.

The lights were from a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on 15th East, according to a Bonneville County news release. The car failed to stop at the intersection and clipped the Vaalemoen’s vehicle.

The oncoming vehicle continued into an adjacent yard of a nearby residence, striking a rock and a gas line, which launched the vehicle into several large pine trees. Multiple trees were completely destroyed, before the vehicle came to rest on its top.

The vehicle immediately burst into flames and was engulfed in just over a minute.

“It was on fire before we even got turned around,” Karen Vaalemoen said. “It was that quick… people ran up but there was no way to get him out.”

When emergency crews arrived they found the vehicle and a nearby tree fully engulfed in flames. A total of two Idaho Falls Fire Department engines, a water tender, two ambulances and a battalion chief arrived to deal with the flames. Bonneville County Sheriff deputies, Idaho Falls Police and Intermountain Gas personnel also assisted on scene.

After the fire was extinguished emergency crews removed one body from the vehicle. Investigators believe the victim was Julio Tafoya, 21, of Shelley, however, a positive identification is still pending from the Bonneville County Coroner’s Office.

Allen and Karen Vaalemoen were uninjured.

The crash remains under investigation.

CRASH FINAL02
Nate Sunderland, EastIdahoNews.com
CRASH FINAL03
Nate Sunderland, EastIdahoNews.com

SUBMIT A CORRECTION