ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Two people died early Friday in a single-vehicle crash near St. George, Utah.

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 about 12 miles from the state line, the Utah Highway Patrol reported.

A 17-year-old man from Pahrump was driving a 2002 Chevy Cavalier when it went off the left side of the road, said Trooper Cameron Roden.

Jeremy Lynn Rasmussen of Pahrump, overcorrected to the right and the car traveled over a guard rail and down an embankment.

According to UHP Sgt. Dan Ferguson, however, it appeared that Rasmussen fell asleep, drifted into the center divider and struck a guard rail.

"The vehicle spun out, went across both lanes of traffic, then vaulted off the freeway and landed by the chainlink fence. The vehicle ended up on the opposite side of the fence upside down after cartwheeling and bouncing a few times. It was completely obliterated," he said.

Rasmussen and his companion, 38-year-old Patricia Ann Gonzalez, also of Pahrump, were ejected and killed, Roden said.

Alise Osterman, 6, the only person in the car who was wearing a seat belt, suffered head trauma that is not believed to be life-threatening. She was crawling from the back of the car when troopers arrived.

Ferguson said he was reasonably confident that, had the victims been wearing seat belts, "it probably wouldn't have been a fatality."