ST. GEORGE – The Dixie Drive and South Black Ridge Drive intersection saw a cluster of activity Wednesday afternoon after a man ran a red light and T-boned another vehicle, resulting in a second two-vehicle collision.
Shortly after 2 p.m., two cars were sitting at the intersection waiting to turn left onto Dixie Drive from Black Ridge Drive when a man driving a Toyota Camry, traveling westbound on Dixie Drive, ran a red light, St. George Police Officer Jamison Hale said.
The driver of the Ford truck, on the inside of the left-turn lane, started to move forward but saw the Toyota Camry and stopped, Hale said. However, a woman on the right side of the Ford truck, who was driving a Ford Taurus, started to go through the intersection and was T-boned by the Toyota Camry, he said.
When the driver of the Ford truck stopped, the truck was rear-ended by the white Chrysler car behind it.
“We had two separate crashes in this one particular incident,” Hale said.
Alicia Overton, the driver of the Ford truck, said everything happened so fast after she received a green arrow to turn left onto Dixie Drive.
“I started going and I saw this guy running the red light coming this way,” Overton said, “and then the little lady was beside me and she went out and I don’t think she could see over my truck, so she went out and he just hit her right in front of me. Luckily, I saw him and I slammed on my brakes but she just got nailed – totally broadsided her.”
Witnesses said the airbags deployed in the Ford Taurus after being broadsided and no one could see if the woman inside was OK.
“The driver (of the Toyota Camry) screamed ‘get in there and see if she’s OK,’” the woman driving the white Chrysler said.
“He was like terrified,” Overton said. “He could hardly get out of his car and he just went running for her and just screamed – he was so terrified he had killed somebody. It was sad. Really scary.”
St. George Police, St. George Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene.
“Nobody claimed any injuries,” Hale said. “I’m kind of amazed – this is a 40 mph road – the lady was fine.”
One eastbound lane of traffic on Dixie Drive was closed for approximately an hour. Both the Toyota Camry and the Ford Taurus had to be towed from the scene.
The driver of the Toyota Camry was issued a citation for running the red light and the driver of the white Chrysler was issued a citation for unsafe movement from a stopped position, Hale said.
“They had stopped, started to move forward and then stopped again,” Hale said, “and so that’s why it falls under that one (instead of following too close).”
This report is based on preliminary information provided by the authorities and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Four vehicles collided at the intersection of South Black Ridge Drive and Dixie Drive after a man ran a red light, St. George, Utah, Nov. 19, 2014 | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News
Four vehicles collided at the intersection of South Black Ridge Drive and Dixie Drive after a man ran a red light, St. George, Utah, Nov. 19, 2014 | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News
Four vehicles collided at the intersection of South Black Ridge Drive and Dixie Drive after a man ran a red light, St. George, Utah, Nov. 19, 2014 | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News
Four vehicles collided at the intersection of South Black Ridge Drive and Dixie Drive after a man ran a red light, St. George, Utah, Nov. 19, 2014 | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News
Four vehicles collided at the intersection of South Black Ridge Drive and Dixie Drive after a man ran a red light, St. George, Utah, Nov. 19, 2014 | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News
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“a cluster” Yup. That pretty much describes the driving habits in St George.
I drove up Dixie Drive shortly before this happened today – as usual I drove the speed limit and was passed by numerous car traveling between 50 & 60 mph. I’m still amazed by the total disregard for speed limits in this town!
It’s a proven fact that as a city experiences growth and urban sprawl as are we, people tend to drive faster – exceeding a minimum of 5 – 10 mph over posted speed limits. It’s natural as things become more spread apart and farther away from residential areas and outer suburbs to reach key destinations i.e. shopping, work, medical etc….
Go to Vegas or SLC, those drivers fly everywhere – be it freeways or surface streets.
Yes Big Bob there are irresponsible drivers everywhere. My point is that you have no business going 60 mph in a 40 mph zone. I hope your “Big City, Urban Sprawl Defense” works for the next person that injures a bicyclist or pedestrian! I’ve driven in nearly every major city in the US – St George drivers are the worst!
Amen to this…
I bet it was twin the twit that caused the accident
Dixie Red Light district?