Authority is now mourning the loss of a Magna Firefighter who was killed in a
head-on collision in Parley’s Canyon over the weekend. The accident happened
Saturday night at around 8:30 p.m. Authorities say 45-year-old Bruce McGowan
was on his way home after work, driving eastbound on I- 80 through Parley’s
Canyon when a Jeep heading westbound crossed the median, hit McGowan head on
and killed him.
“Word spread quickly throughout our department last night, today is just a
somber feeling in our department,” Capt. Clint Smith said. McGowan spent
over six years with Unified Fire.
Unified crews responded to the scene along with Park City firefighters. UHP
said the Jeep Cherokee was speeding down the Canyon. “There was possibly
traffic slowing, he was coming up on them, braked and went to the left,”
said Sgt. Jason Hunter. “It was up on its right side in the air when Mr.
McGowan’s vehicle was almost underneath it.” Troopers said McGowan died
instantly. The firefighters he worked with helped extricate his body from his
vehicle. Troopers said the other driver had been drinking in Park City but was
not impaired.
“The troopers who had him perform those test determined he was not under
the influence as far as .08 or higher,” Hunter said. Troopers are not
releasing the driver’s name. “He seemed to be in a bit of shock, then at
one point he broke down in one of the patrol trooper’s vehicles,” Trooper
Gerrard Moren said. “Anytime we have that we lost in the line, it’s really
hard for us showing up on scene and it’s obviously twice as hard for the
firefighters who showed up on scene last night.”
UHP said they have not cited the driver for speeding. They are waiting for
toxicology results to determine if there will be more severe charges.
McGowan leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.
