ST. GEORGE – A five-car crash occurred at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East Tuesday morning when a car ran a red light.
A red passenger car traveling southbound on 700 East ran the red light at 100 South around 10:10 a.m., St. George Police Sgt. Craig Harding said. The red car crashed into a blue minivan waiting in the intersection to turn south. The impact spun the minivan out of control northbound and it hit two cars – a gold passenger car and a white passenger car – that were waiting for the red light to change. The minivan came to a stop with its rear in the ditch and the front jetting out into the southbound lane of 700 East.
“The initial vehicle, that did all the damage, then careened off to the left and hit a northbound Echo that was going to turn east,” Harding said.
After hitting the Echo the red car finally came to a stop.
The driver of the red car was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center. Another person was also taken to the hospital, though Harding couldn’t confirm if the second person was an occupant of the red car. The extent of any injuries to the driver and the second person have not been provided at this time.
“We’re going to look and see if speed was a factor, … if careless driving was a factor,” Harding said. Alcohol and drug will also be considered, but it doesn’t seem likely. “We don’t believe that they are, but we’re going to rule those out,” he said.
Four of the five cars involved in the crash had to be towed away from the scene to clear the intersection.
The investigation into the five-car crash is ongoing, Harding said. Any citations to be issued will be made once the investigation is complete.
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A car running a light triggered a five-car accident at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A car running a light triggered a five-car accident at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A car running a light triggered a five-car accident at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A car running a light triggered a five-car accident at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A car running a light triggered a five-car accident at the intersection of 100 South and 700 East, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
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Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.
I am so sick of people running red lights! I always hesitate before moving into an intersection after a light change, as twice I would’ve been hit if not doing so. It’s so ridiculous!
To Karen , Given the increased traffic and people being in a rush ,
I too prefer to check the cross streets before going when the light turns green .
The few extra seconds is the worth the damage one can avoid by being aware of other vehicles actions .
If the police would spend more time writing tickets for that kind of stuff instead of spending all their time at their favoite speed traps, it would make a difference. But, unfortunately, it’s all about revenue.
So basically you wish that there were more accidents in St George so that the police could write citations to those involved in the crash? Consequently not to those speeding, running stop signs, or violating other basic traffic laws, that if followed would prevent accidents like this from happening in the first place?
Stellar idea. Lets throw preventative measures into the wind and twiddle our thumbs until turmoil and disaster strike.
No, you missed my point. They should be writing tickets for running stop signs, stop lights, failure to yield, not signaling, crossing 3 lanes to make a turn, etc. In stead of being camped out in their favorite spots looking for speeders
The guy that can’t be bothered to stay under the speed limit + 5mph (or at least be alert enough to slow down when a cop is present) is generally the same flavor of idiot that is distracted at intersections and sometimes blows through them. I assume you are a member of this same tribe justaguy. It’s about punishing the distracted driver. If you aren’t paying attention enough to spot a cop, you ain’t paying enough attention. Consider speeding tickets a tax on the stupid.
Thnx for your totally useful comment Karen! I sure feel safer knowing what you do when it comes to yielding at intersections.
A grateful Gentleman.
Red light running IS the norm here in St. Geezy. Waiting to make my BIG payday while I go through a green light.
After the crash, apply the double tap to the other driver. It’ll be a clear case of self defense.
Who wants to bet texting was involved. I work in the car industry and I would love nothing more than a cell phone interference module in every single vehicle so no texting and no calls what so ever could come through or be sent. Whos with me
I love it!! I see so many idiots around here (and everywhere) just yakking and tapping away on their phones in the car and would love it if there was some mechanism that would disallow it altogether, except to call 911.
Ok and in case of an emergency and a phone is needed. (say a wreck) and you aren’t able to get out the vehicle, or you witness something that you need to call 911 or anything. Ever go through all the options before you rule something out because of assuming it will be better! What would you do about the people who don’t own new fancy cars. Are you going to want to make them put something in their cars? Just another way of people trying to control the world because they think it will have some great benefit. When in actuality its doing the opposite and make it worse. We already have enough (idiot) people in this world that try to do our talking and thinking for us. Lets just add one more thing to it!
And to Joanna I don’t know if you have kids or not but what if they had an emergency and they needed to get a hold of you or someone for them. What would you do then. I sure know I’m not home all day I have things I need to do outside of the house.
End Rant!!
Simmer down there girlfriend, watch that blood pressure! Indeed I do have little ones, and somehow we all managed to raise children BEFORE we could yak on our cell phones 24/7. You must be REALLY young, and/or you must looooove texting and driving or else you wouldn’t be defending this point so hard. How often does someone have an emergency they need to reach you for while you’re driving? I can say that in my nearly 40 years on this planet, I luckily have never had a situation where someone couldn’t get a hold of me in a reasonable amount of time, and I never had to handle any business on a cell phone while driving b/c I organize my family’s life in a way that it’s just not necessary. I hope you never get a personal glimpse of the dangerous side of your driving + cell phone use. It is devastating.
And by the way, this thing Andy is suggesting, you do realize that the car would no longer block the cell signal if the car was turned off (i.e in case of an accident). They can do amaaaaaaaaaazing stuff like, you know 🙂 Ever go through all the options before you rule something out?
I always tell my wife it’s interesting how people will take a huge risk for a very small almost insignificant gain in life….like… run a red light… risk your life and others…plus all the time at the accident site…. plus money, time, repairs cost…plus possible lawsuits…all so you can save waiting at stop light for 2 mins…its crazy!!!
Andy
I’m with you
In the end, the van was jutting out into traffic, not jetting out. Unless it was moving very fast on a jet?
I agree, I would almost bet she was busy texting away on her phone!