A 21-year-old Tooele man was killed and his friend critically injured in a rollover accident in Erda Saturday.

According to Lt. Lynn Bush of the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, Eric Cruz and Kurtis Richman, 19, were traveling northbound on Droubay Road in a 1997 Hyundai Elantra when the vehicle veered off the road after crossing the railroad tracks at approximately 7 a.m.

The vehicle rolled and came to rest on its roof, partially ejecting Richman, who was in the passenger’s seat, and pinning in Cruz, who was driving.

A man in the area cutting hay at the time of the accident noticed a plume of smoke going into the air and rushed over to help, according to Bush. He was able to pull Richman from the vehicle, which had exploded into flames.

“He couldn’t get to the driver because of the flames,” Bush said.

Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene and Richman was transported in critical condition to Mountain West Medical Center with head, arm and leg injuries. He was later airlifted to University of Utah Hospital.

Bush said although the Sheriff’s Office has yet to receive results from an alcohol test, they have reason to believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

“Speed and alcohol were pretty well the reasons,” Bush said.

jamieb@tooeletranscript.com