One person was killed and 18 others were injured after a pickup truck collided with two school buses on U.S. Route 89 near Ephraim, Utah, on Friday, December 12, 2025, in a crash authorities suspect was caused by fatigued driving.
The Utah Highway Patrol responded to the scene at 8:30 p.m. local time, about five miles north of Ephraim. A pickup truck traveling southbound went left of center, grazed the first of two northbound buses, and then struck the second bus head-on.
The first bus, carrying 19 students, sustained minimal damage, and no injuries were reported among its occupants. The second bus, transporting 17 students plus a driver, bore the brunt of the collision. All 18 occupants of the second bus were transported to a nearby hospital with varying injuries. Two people were in critical condition and required transport by medical helicopter.
The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 43-year-old Melvin Beckstead, died at the crash scene. “Fatigued driving is being suspected as the cause of the crash,” the Utah Highway Patrol stated.
Both school buses were affiliated with Wasatch Academy, a college-preparatory boarding school located in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. The incident occurred as students were returning to campus from an evening activity.
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, Wasatch Academy issued a statement addressing the crash. “There were no student or faculty fatalities,” the school confirmed. The statement added that several members of the school community were injured and received or were continuing to receive medical care, and that families had been notified.
The school extended condolences to those affected by the truck driver’s death. The academy also announced it had activated trauma support services and adjusted academic schedules in response to the incident. Final exams scheduled for the following week were postponed as the school prioritized student safety and well-being.
By Monday, all students injured in the crash had been released from the hospital. However, one teacher remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to school officials. The swift recovery of the students was seen as fortunate given the severity of the collision.
The city of Mt. Pleasant expressed support for the Wasatch Academy community following the incident. In a public statement, city officials offered condolences and solidarity. “We are holding everyone involved close in our hearts and wishing for comfort, strength, and healing during this difficult time,” the statement read.
The two-bus configuration involved in the crash is common for school trips and activities when transporting larger groups of students. With a total of 36 students and two drivers across both vehicles, the buses were traveling together on the highway when the southbound pickup truck crossed into their lane.
The location of the crash, on U.S. Route 89 near Ephraim in central Utah, is a heavily traveled corridor connecting rural communities to larger population centers. The highway serves as a main thoroughfare for the region and experiences significant traffic from both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks.
Wasatch Academy is a college-preparatory boarding school on its campus in Mt. Pleasant. The institution’s response to the crisis, including immediate activation of trauma support services and schedule adjustments, reflects protocols increasingly common at schools nationwide for managing traumatic incidents.
Beckstead was the sole occupant of the pickup truck. Investigators from the Utah Highway Patrol continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision, though preliminary findings point to driver fatigue as the primary contributing factor.