Wrong-way driver collides with semi on I-15

ST. GEORGE — A 37-year-old woman was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George and arrested on multiple charges after driving the wrong way on Interstate 15 and colliding with a semitrailer, or tractor-trailer, near mile marker 10 just before 5 a.m. Friday.

The woman, later identified as Cheryl Jensen, is alleged to have been driving under the influence in a passenger car southbound on northbound I-15. As she neared mile marker 10, she crashed into the semi that was heading northbound, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce said. He said he did not know where Jensen had accessed the Interstate or how long she had been traveling it in the wrong direction.

UHP and medical responders were dispatched to the scene. The driver of the semi suffered no injuries and was able to keep traveling.

Jensen was transported to Dixie Regional for minor injuries, Royce said. After being cleared and released from the hospital, Jensen was arrested and booked into Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Jensen was charged with a class-B misdemeanor for driving under the influence, a class-C misdemeanor for failure to use the correct lane of travel, a class-C misdemeanor for failure to obey a traffic device or barricade and an infraction for a seatbelt violation. According to current bookings information Jensen’s bail stands at $1,790.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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15 Comments

  • Bob July 18, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    ALCOHOLIC SCUMBAG COULD HAVE KILLED PEOPLE… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GET HER WITH AT LEAST ONE FELONY!!!

    • melinda July 18, 2014 at 5:07 pm

      She wasnt drinking. Get the facts before you start running your mouth! Yes dumb move but she wasnt drinking.

      • Bob July 18, 2014 at 7:44 pm

        SHE NEEDS TO LOSE HER LICENSE PERMANENTLY… WAS SHE ON OXY THEN OR WHAT?

  • EL JEFE July 18, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    Now that’s what I call getting the weekend started “early”. Lucky she nor anyone else was killed.

  • Kev July 18, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Wrong way driving has got to stop. Please think of the children.

  • melinda July 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    She wasnt drinking. She was on meds. If you guys dont know her then quit assuming!

    • dunlap July 18, 2014 at 7:48 pm

      DUI applies to medications also……..

    • Real Life July 19, 2014 at 12:07 am

      While I can see that you are compasionate about sticking up for this person, you need to also realize that she was in the wrong for taking meds and driving. I hope she is okay, and thankfully no one was killed. She will have to answer to charges, as she should.

    • Andy July 19, 2014 at 7:55 am

      Driving under the influence of medication is just as bad. Why would you try to defend her?

  • Ynot July 18, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    Why why are these JUST misdemeanors?????

  • Towman July 18, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    Actually the driver of the “semitrailer” was NOT able to continue travelling. She most likely totaled the trailer, and the load has to be removed from that trailer and put onto another, that this driver had to drive to Salt Lake City to get and bring back, so the load swap can be made. She is a very lucky person to have made it out alive!

  • Cristy July 18, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    Who cares if it was drinking or meds? She was STILL driving impaired! She is at fault. Dont try and smooth it over for her. Ack!

    • PoDuck July 25, 2014 at 2:43 pm

      It’s one thing to take medication, and then intentionally go driving. She took ambien, then went to bed. She was not intending to drive. I’ve taken ambien, gone to bed, and woken up with uneaten fast food in my lap I don’t remember buying, but I’m pretty sure I did.

      I’ve known the woman for over 20 years. When she tells me that she didn’t intend to drive, but intended to go to bed, I believe her.

  • sumtingfishy July 19, 2014 at 6:12 am

    I wondered why she didn’t get any felony charges aswell. guess she know’s when to be on her knees or something. I’d bet money if me or someone else did this we probably wouldn’t see the light of day until our court date.

    • Andy July 20, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Before you accuse anyone of being “on her knees,” and the corruption you infer, consider this: The charges are specific to each violation. Levels of violations (felony vs misdemeanors) are administered according to codified law. Also, everyone (even you) has the right to bail out.

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