Icy road conditions are to blame for the death of a 75-year-old South Summit man whose vehicle rolled several times on U.S. 40 early Friday morning.

Marion resident Walter E. Burton died at the scene from massive head trauma. He was crushed in the cab of the Dodge Dakota pickup truck he was driving, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Ted Tingey said.

The crash occurred on westbound U.S. 40 at about 5:50 a.m., Tingey said.

“Apparently, he hit some ice on the roadway which caused him to lose control, and as a result of that, he slid off the right shoulder of the roadway and the vehicle rolled several times,” Tingey said. “He did have a seat belt on, but as a result of the vehicle rolling over, the cab was crushed in on him.”

Burton was not speeding, Tingey added.

“We also don’t suspect any alcohol or drugs,” Tingey said. “We just think it was one of those where he hit the icy roadway and failed to hang on and maintain control It’s a tragic situation, obviously.”

Burton worked at Walmart greeting customers as they left the store, said MeriKae Parker, a manager at Walmart.

“[Burton] was a great guy, he loved his job and loved being here,” Parker said in a telephone interview. “He will definitely be missed by his customers. A lot of customers knew who he was.”

Working at Walmart was important to Burton after his wife died about five years ago, said Vicky Burton, the man’s daughter in law.

“It was a chance to get out, and his idea of it was that he got paid to give stickers to kids, and maybe once in a while catch a bad guy,” Burton said about several shoplifters her father-in-law helped nab. “He loved to socialize with people. It made him feel like he had something to do every day.”

Burton had undergone heart surgery in January, his daughter-in-law explained.

“He needed a double-bypass surgery,” Vicky Burton said. “He was actually just released back to work last Saturday.”

His death “was a shocker to all of us,” she explained.

“We’ve had numerous, numerous people calling and coming over,” Burton said. “In a small community everyone finds out pretty quick, and everyone’s been very supportive.”

Burton moved to Marion with his wife in 1986.

“He built this house with his own two hands,” his daughter-in-law explained. “He was a great guy.”