Tow truck driver convicted of negligent homicide in 2024 crash that killed father and daughter

OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — A former tow truck driver has been found guilty of negligent homicide after unsecured construction equipment fell off his truck and killed a father and daughter in July 2024. On July 6, 2024, a tow truck was heading eastbound in Ogden Canyon when a bulldozer fell from the back of the truck around milepost 8 in the canyon. The bulldozer fell on a westbound SUV that had five occupants. Two of the occupants were fatally injured and the other three were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The deceased individuals were later identified as Richard David Hendrickson and his daughter, Sally. Hendrickson was the CEO and president of Utah-based company Lifetime Products, and the company was the one to identify the victims. 53-year-old Michael John Love, the tow truck driver, was arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter (second-degree felony), aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury (second-degree felony), obstruction of justice with second or third-degree felony conduct (third-degree felony) and obstruction of justice (class A misdemeanor). According to Love's arrest documents, Love had secured the bulldozer with one small chain on the back and a tow-hook winch on the front, which law enforcement described as, "wholly inadequate for retaining the weight of the dozer in place." Photos of the fatal crash. Courtesy: Utah Department of Public Safety Additionally, the dozer was reportedly 4,300 pounds over the weight limit for Love's tow truck. Court documents also state that Love had lied to investigators following the incident, claiming that he had more chains securing the bulldozer than he actually did and that the victims' vehicle had struck his before the bulldozer came loose. Love's jury trial started on March 5. On March 13, the jury came back with a verdict. While they found Love not guilty of manslaughter, they did find him guilty of negligent homicide in relation to Richard and Sally's deaths. They also found him guilty of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury for injuring one of the other occupants and guilty of both counts of obstruction of justice for adding chains to the tow truck and lying to investigators following the accident. Notably, this crash prompted significant conversation about Ogden Canyon and road safety. In September 2025, the Utah Department of Transportation permanently restricted drivers with loads longer than 50 feet in Ogden Canyon. Following this announcement, UDOT Region one Senior Communications Manager Mitch Shaw referenced the July 2024 crash and stated that, despite the incident being a result of an unsecured load, it was one of several crashes that prompted them to take a closer look at canyon safety and conduct a modeling study. The study indicated that, “it’s physically impossible to travel up the canyon without encroaching on the opposite lane” with trucks over 50 feet, according to Shaw. Love's sentencing is scheduled for April 21, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.