WASHINGTON COUNTY – Shortly before 8 p.m. this evening an accident occurred on Interstate 15 at mile marker 14, north of the Washington Parkway exit, when a semi-truck traveling northbound in the left travel lane made lane changes that forced a Ford Explorer off the road into the median, and into a roll, severely injuring the Explorer’s driver.
Cpl. Todd Johnson of the Utah Highway Patrol said the semi was traveling in the left travel lane and moved to the center lane to allow traffic to pass. While some vehicles passed the semi safely, Johnson said the Ford Explorer was still coming up the left lane when the semi moved from the center lane, thereby forcing the Explorer into the median where it rolled several times.
The male driver of the Explorer was its only occupant and, though wearing a seat belt, he was severely injured and transported immediately for medical attention, ultimately by Life Flight to Las Vegas.
The driver of the semi was cited for unsafe lane change and for traveling in the left lane; semis are not permitted in the left lane when there are three or more lanes.
UPDATED 10 p.m. per fuller report from UHP Cpl. Todd Johnson.
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Thank you for the update, I was driving to Hurricane with my 8 month ood daughter as we passed this accident… it happened mere seconds before us we had to come to a hault there was so much dirt in the air I could barely see. My prayers go out to the man in the explorer, the rest is God’s hands.
Is there information on the name of the driver as of yet. These accident articles tell little of factual info, drivers names etc.
Patchiz, we understand your complaint; because accidents are reported as quickly as we can get responding officers to provide us information, they often do not yet have names or are not willing to release names until families are notified. In this case, Cpl. Johnson did not know age, name or where the driver is from. We did ask.
The driver is a family friend. He is 28. His name is Peter Safreno. Please keep him and his family in ur prayers he has broken his neck and is in critical condition.
i’d sure like to know which company that semi belonged to. Is there some reason that information is not released?
Not intentionally withheld by anyone to my knowledge, Goldies.