LINDON, Utah (KUTV) — Two young girls were found inside a refrigerated trailer after a critical crash on I-15 in Utah County on Wednesday.
Jacob Ortell Scott, 28, was arrested on suspicion of third-degree felony aggravated child abuse. According to authorities, the girls, aged 12 and 14, are siblings and were not being trafficked.
The incident occurred when Scott's tractor-trailer lost a tire, which bounced over the wall and struck two vehicles, causing minor injuries. While the tractor-trailer was stopped, a semi-truck rear-ended a passenger car, leading to additional collisions.
Troopers with the Utah Highway Patrol, who were investigating the scene, discovered the girls inside the trailer after noticing “two sets of eyes.” Scott reportedly appeared surprised when informed of their presence.
The girls had been in the trailer since leaving Huntington, Utah, en route to Salt Lake City—nearly a two-hour journey—and were trapped with the trailer's thermostat set at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, at points dropping to 29.5 degrees.
Scott was subsequently arrested, and authorities from the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Child and Family Services were notified. He has been booked into the Utah County Jail.