Trips to NASCAR, Disneyland interrupted by crash on I-15

Written by Julie Applegate
February 29, 2016
An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

LEEDS – A woman on her way to see the NASCAR races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway crashed and landed in a ravine off Interstate 15 Monday morning, and the resulting slowdown triggered another accident involving a family on their way to Disneyland.

An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

The first single-car accident was reported at approximately 9:05 a.m., Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jake Hicks said. Just before the crash, the female driver of a 2007 Ford Mustang was reported to be driving recklessly.

“Before units could even start going that way, she crashed,” Hicks said.

The Mustang was southbound, coming around a curve approximately a mile south of Leeds near mile marker 21 when the driver lost control of the vehicle, probably due to speed, Hicks said. She went off the left shoulder, then overcorrected to the right and, still hitting her brakes, collided head-on with a dirt and rock embankment.

As opposed to the vehicle going into a roll, Hicks said the collision caused her vehicle to go into what they call a “vault.”

“(The car) launched into the air … and landed on top of the hill,” Hicks said. “Straight up and down on the rear bumper.”

The Mustang continued over the hill and eventually landed on its wheels approximately 50 yards down a ravine on the west side of the freeway.

“Very spectacular crash, very violent. Her saving grace in all of this was, she was wearing her seat belt, and the airbags did deploy,” Hicks said.

“Without the seat belt, who knows,” he said, “but I would have hated to have seen what happened without seat belts. There’s no doubt in Hicks’ mind that the seat belt saved her life.

An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

However, Hicks said what would also have saved her was slowing down and obeying traffic laws.

The driver of the Mustang, a woman in her 40s from North Ogden, was the only occupant of the car. When first responders arrived at the accident, she complained of back and neck pain and was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center where she is listed in good condition, Hicks said.

The driver will be issued a citation for speeding, Hicks said, however the investigation is ongoing. The Mustang was heavily damaged and had to be towed up from the scene.

A second accident was triggered by slowing traffic near the site of the first crash. A maroon Honda Odyssey rear-ended a white Volkswagen Jetta. A husband, wife, and two children — ages 7 and 9 — from Plain City were in the Jetta traveling to Disneyland.

The Jetta was slowing down because of the other traffic congestion when the Odyssey, driven by a Washington County woman in her 40s, struck the Jetta from behind.

“She didn’t realize traffic was stopping as quickly as it was, or slowing down as quickly as it was and hit her brakes far too late and rear-ended the VW,” Hicks said.

An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
An accident on I-15 near Leeds Monday morning injures one person and triggers a second accident, Leeds, Utah, Feb. 29, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

No one was injured in the fender bender, and both cars had only minor damage, so Hicks had both vehicles move south to Exit 13 in order to get off the freeway before taking the accident report.

“The little girl asked me after the crash, ‘Are we still going to be able still to go to Disneyland?'” Hicks said.

The family was able to continue their journey.

It is not uncommon for secondary accidents to happen after a crash on I-15, and Hicks advises the public to slow down anytime they see emergency lights or vehicles and watch for traffic to slow or stop near a crash scene.

Washington County Sherriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Leeds Fire and Rescue and Utah Department of Transportation responded to the scene.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Applegate is a long-time resident and fan of Southern Utah. She brings a strong background in news writing and editing, formerly as a full-time member of the St. George News team and currently as a contributor. Julie spent several years in the software industry. She believes strongly in the role of responsible news media in society, especially at the local level. In her spare time, Julie can be found exploring Southern Utah on foot and by four-wheel drive or spending time with her family.

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1 Comment

  • mesaman February 29, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    Congratulations to the photographer who offered this fine pictorial. And Zion Motors to the rescue! Great combination here.

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