MORONI, UT — A Utah family is mourning the death of Rebecca Hafen, a mother of nine who was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking along the shoulder near 1808 E. Dairy Lane. The crash happened around 7:55 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Hafen was pregnant when she was hit and died from her injuries. Doctors performed an emergency delivery in an effort to save her baby boy, who was first reported to be doing well in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before later dying.
How the crash unfolded on Dairy Lane
Utah Highway Patrol said Hafen was walking near the roadside when the vehicle struck her. Investigators have said sun glare and limited visibility appear to have been the main factors in the collision.
Officials have not said whether any other vehicles were involved or released a detailed reconstruction of the crash. The focus of the investigation remains on what drivers could see at that time of morning and whether those conditions contributed to the impact.
Investigators say charges are not expected right now
UHP Lt. Zach Randall said authorities do not currently expect to file charges against the driver unless investigators determine that speed played a role. That leaves open the possibility that the case could change if the investigation uncovers additional facts.
For now, the crash appears to be being treated as a fatal collision shaped by roadway conditions rather than an intentional act. Police have not announced any arrest or cited any criminal allegations tied to the driver.
Tyson Hafen remembers a home built around family
Rebecca Hafen’s husband, Tyson Hafen, said the family was the center of life for both of them. Their children ranged from 13 years old to a newborn, and he described Rebecca as the heart of the home.
He said she homeschooled the children and taught them much of what they know. Tyson also said he struggled to keep up with the demands of the large household, even though Rebecca carried most of that load day to day.
A painful first visit with the newborn baby
After the baby was born, Tyson brought the children to meet their brother. He said they took turns holding him and helped with the ordinary newborn tasks of bathing, changing, cleaning and dressing him.
Tyson said the moment was heartbreaking but also showed what Rebecca had taught the children. He called it a beautiful reflection of the care and closeness she had built in their family.
GoFundMe support grows as the family faces medical and funeral costs
The Hafen family had recently built and moved into what they considered their dream home before the crash changed everything. Now Tyson and the children are facing life without Rebecca while also grieving the loss of the baby.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help with medical bills, recovery needs, care for the children and costs tied to the newborn’s time in the NICU. The fundraiser also says donations will help the family handle the emotional and financial strain that followed the crash.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
