Police on Thursday released the identity of a woman who was struck and killed while trying to cross an Interstate 15 off-ramp in Salt Lake City’s predawn darkness.
SLCPD Detective Robert Ungricht said 28-year-old Cassandra Squires, an Orem woman who may have recently become homeless, died at the scene after being hit by a car exiting I-15 at 600 South early Wednesday morning.
Ungricht confirmed that Squires, who had a long misdemeanor history of drug-related convictions, had been arrested in the multi-agency “Operation Rio Grande” sweep of downtown Salt Lake City‘s homeless district, just four days before her death.
About 6 a.m. Wednesday, Squires — appearing confused and “asking to see a judge” — had been reported wandering through an apartment complex adjacent to 600 South near the off-ramp, police said.
“She may have thought the apartment complex was the courthouse, but we just don‘t know,” Ungricht said. “But she then left, trying to run across the off-ramp.”
The accident occurred at 6:20 a.m. Paramedics rushed to the scene, but were unable to revive Squires, who was declared dead at the scene, near 400 West.
Salt Lake County jail records show Squires had been booked Aug. 26 on drug-related charges.
According to a probable cause statement, she had been found by police using heroin in a bathroom stall at 82 S. Rio Grande Street. She allegedly attempted to flush the evidence, but police were able to retrieve it before she could do so.
Jail Sgt. Cammie Scogg said Squires was released without being required to post bail later the same night she was booked, pending future court proceedings, due to overcrowding at the jail.