WASHINGTON COUNTY — A Nevada resident driving on Interstate 15 drifted off the road, hit a parked minivan and ended up in the emergency room Saturday morning.

Just after 7 a.m. Utah Highway Patrol troopers and first responders were dispatched to I-15 southbound, just south of the Hurricane on-ramp. They found a minivan that was up on a jack had been hit by a red Hyundai and dragged about 50 feet. The Hyundai then traveled about 75 feet down the road before coming to rest nose down off the right side of the roadway.

UHP Sgt. Larry Mower said the driver of the Hyundai was extremely lucky.

“No seat belts were worn and there was a head strike on the windshield,” Mower said, “but the air bag actually held him in the car. Otherwise he may have gone all the way through.”

The man was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George with head injuries, Mower said.

“When he called dispatch, he said that he had checked his rear-view mirrors and that’s when he drifted over off the road,” Mower said. “So he didn’t fall asleep, doesn’t sound like he was distracted or anything like that.”

The owner of the minivan was being sought. Mower said the minivan had been abandoned by the side of the road up on a jack with one wheel removed.

“We’re fairly certain that whoever owned the car was planning on coming back to get it,” Mower said. “It’s just unfortunate that this guy drifted out of his lane and hit it.”

Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.

Units from the Utah Highway Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington City Fire Department, Gold Cross Ambulance 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.

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