IRON COUNTY — Three people were transported to the hospital Sunday evening after the driver of a vehicle rear-ended a semitrailer truck on Interstate 15 near mile post 50, slowing traffic to a halt.
At approximately 6 p.m. a semitrailer truck was traveling northbound in the right-hand lane, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper A. Gibbs said, and around mile marker 50, a black Saab, carrying three people, rear-ended the back driver’s-side portion of the semi, causing the car to crash.
“I haven’t been able to talk to the driver of the car yet,” Gibbs said at approximately 9 p.m., “but for some reason he didn’t see the semitrailer truck and came up and rear-ended it.”
All three occupants inside the Saab were injured, Gibbs said. One woman was transported to the hospital via Life Flight helicopter and the two men were transported to the hospital via Iron County Ambulance — one with head injuries and another with a broken leg. At the time this report is published, Gibbs said he was uncertain which hospital the three individuals were transported to.
While Gibbs said he thinks the Saab did roll, the incident is still being reviewed to determine exactly what happened.
The driver of the semitrailer truck did not sustain any injuries, Gibbs said, but the truck itself did sustain some damage to its left rear-end.
Both lanes of northbound traffic on I-15 were closed for just over an hour, Gibbs said. After emergency responders were able to clear some of the debris, they directed one lane of traffic around the accident site. Both lanes were reopened after approximately two-hours.
Responders to the scene included UHP, the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar City Fire Department and the Iron County Ambulance service.
The collision is still under investigation, Gibbs said, and no citations have been issued at the time this report is published.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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The damage to the rear driver's-side of the semitrailer truck rear ended on Interstate 15 at mile marker 50, Iron County, Utah, Dec. 14, 2014 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
The remains of a black Saab are towed away after it crashed into the back of a semitrailer truck on Interstate 15 at mile marker 50, Iron County, Utah, Dec. 14, 2014 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
The remains of a black Saab are towed away after it crashed into the back of a semitrailer truck on Interstate 15 at mile marker 50, Iron County, Utah, Dec. 14, 2014 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
The remains of a black Saab are towed away after it crashed into the back of a semitrailer truck on Interstate 15 at mile marker 50, Iron County, Utah, Dec. 14, 2014 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
Emergency responders begin to clear the remains of a black Saab after it crashed into the back of a semitrailer truck on Interstate 15 at mile marker 50, Iron County, Utah, Dec. 14, 2014 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
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I hope the truck is okay they are expensive to maintain
“…rear-ended the back driver’s-side portion of the semi, causing the car to crash..” Isn’t rear-ending a semi truck at speed in itself a crash?
I just hope it didn’t happen within 1000 feet of a school or church or in a no dancing zone
sounds like they had a little too much of grandpas cough medicine, or maybe the semi came out of no where.
Wow! It was an accident! Try not to pass judgements! Distractions cause accidents all the time!
And others get hurt
How can you not see a semi…?….. LOL
Was he semi-conscious? semi-blind? semi-distracted?
It was dark, first of all. If the semi didn’t have its tail lights on, or if the lights were dim, that could have easily caused it. Or if both were trying to make a lane change and the semi didn’t see a black car on a black road at night. Lots happens at high speeds, and it’s often hard to move faster than physics. if I learned anything from working as an EMT for 15 years, it’s Don’t be quick to crack jokes when people were hurt!
Wouldn’t be surprised if there was more to the story looking at the track records of these guys.