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A woman and five other people became sick after being overcome by carbon monoxide fumes on August 7, 2024. The woman was transferred to another hospital where she later died.
*** PRESS RELEASE August 14, 2024 ***
On August 7, 2024, at 2:51 AM, Deputies with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in Vineyard, along with Officers from Orem Police Department, responded to a report of people who had “inhaled” gas from a vehicle at a residence in Vineyard.
When Deputies arrived they found a car in a garage and the garage door was by then open. Deputies saw a man lying on the floor who was not conscious. When a Deputy entered the garage he noticed the strong odor of vehicle exhaust and was unable to remain in the garage. With another Deputy he re-entered the garage and they removed the man from the garage and began to render aid to him. The man was breathing but was still not conscious. This man was taken by ambulance to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo.
During this time they noticed a woman’s legs were sticking out of the passenger side door in the back seat of the car. The Deputies carried this woman outside and they noticed she was not conscious or breathing and had no pulse. The Deputies began administering CPR, which was taken over by Orem Fire Department Paramedics when they arrived. This woman was taken by ambulance to Timpanogos Hospital in Orem. She was later transferred by medical helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical condition. This woman was on life support and later died on August 11, 2024 at 3:45 PM. Her name is Angelica Maria Avila Almanza, age 24, and she lived in Vineyard.
Inside the home were a 27 year old woman and three young children ages 4 years, 2 years, and 9 months. These four were also taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released.
Investigators believe Avila Almanza and the man were in the garage and may have been running the car motor so they could use the air conditioning. The walk through door into the home from the garage, and the roll up garage door were closed during this time and there was no carbon monoxide sensor in the garage. There were, however, carbon monoxide sensors inside the apartment which eventually activated. Four other occupants of the apartment were wakened by that alarm and left the apartment and called 911. Those four were evaluated at the scene and released.
For questions contact Sergeant Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer, Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
Cell: (801)404-1912
Email: jamesc@utahcounty.gov
