Former BYU basketball player Jake Shoff has been identified as the driver who lost his life in a crash on Interstate 15 on Thursday, which caused significant traffic delays for several hours.
The BYU basketball team confirmed Shoff’s passing in a statement on its website, acknowledging the tragic accident near the Point of the Mountain.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, Shoff was reportedly driving recklessly on the right shoulder of the northbound lanes when he veered left, colliding with another vehicle in his Mercedes SUV. He then struck a concrete barrier in the median before re-entering traffic, sideswiping two additional vehicles before his SUV rolled onto its side.
Emergency responders removed Shoff from the vehicle and attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A native of Alpine, Shoff played 57 games for the Cougars from 2001 to 2004 after transferring from Weber State. He notably started in BYU’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against Connecticut in 2003.
Jake Shoff Obituary: On behalf of the Shoff and Criddle families, we share the sad loss of a giant of a man—a giant in every sense of the word. Our world has been flipped upside down. We are reeling and devastated. No words can describe the void we are all experiencing right now.
Jacob William Shoff has left this temporal state and returned to his Heavenly Father who gave him life. Those who came in contact with Jake had the blessing of interacting with a singular human. Jake always left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those with whom he interacted. We are all better for knowing Jake. No one was like our Jake. No one can fill the massive shoes that he has left.
His friendship was unmatched. He was an extraordinary sibling.. the best brother anyone could ask for. He was the ultimate father to Zach, Brady, Grant and Max. He was the most loving, caring and supportive husband to Emily. He was the best of us!
Jake loved the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We take heart in the plan of salvation. We look forward with faith in the eventual reuniting of eternal families.
Please mourn with us, please pray with us, but more so than anything else, please help us to commemorate and celebrate his life and the impact that he made on all of us in his 46 years on this earth.
We invite you to respond to this post and share what you loved most about Jake or any special memories you had with him and about him.