Tow truck driver sentenced for fatal 2024 crash that killed Utah CEO and daughter

OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — The tow truck driver who caused the death of a Utah CEO and his daughter after unsecured equipment fell from his vehicle has been sentenced to prison. The crash occurred in 2024, when a bulldozer fell from a tow truck in Ogden Canyon, fatally wounding the CEO and president of Lifetime Products, Richard David Hendrickson, and his daughter, Sally. Three others were injured as well. 53-year-old Michael John Love was identified as the tow truck driver, and criminal charges were brought against him. In March, a jury convicted Love of two counts of negligent homicide (amended to Class A misdemeanor), one count of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury (second-degree felony), and two counts of obstruction of justice (one third-degree felony, one Class A misdemeanor). On Thursday, Love was sentenced to one term of 364 days in prison for each of the amended negligent homicide charges; one term of 1 to15 years for the aggravated assault charge; up to five years for the felony obstruction of justice charge, and 364 days in prison for the misdemeanor obstruction of justice charge. Credit was granted to Love for time previously served, and his jail sentences were authorized to be served at the Utah State Prison, consecutive with one another. 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. 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 Hendrickson and Sally. 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.” 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.