ST. GEORGE — Two vehicles were involved in a crash late Saturday night that started when one T-boned the other and ended with one up on the sidewalk at a busy Bluff Street intersection just north of the Interstate 15 interchange, drawing law enforcement and emergency responders from several agencies.
Just after 10 p.m. responders were dispatched to the intersection of Bluff Street and South Blackridge Drive just north of the Interstate 15-Bluff Street interchange.
Responding officers found a red Mazda four-door launched onto the sidewalk of South Blackridge Drive facing west, St. George Police officer Lona Trombley said. A blue Ford pickup truck was sitting in the southbound lane of Bluff Street facing north.
Within minutes of the collision, Utah Highway Patrol and Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived to assist with the intersection’s heavy weekend traffic.
Emergency personnel checked on the 16-year old driving the Mazda as well as the 46-year-old man and three other occupants in the Ford. They all said they were uninjured, Trombley said.
“All five of the occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision or this could have been much worse.”
After speaking with both drivers and witnesses at the scene, officers determined the Mazda had been traveling east on S. Blackridge Drive approaching the intersection just as the traffic light turned red.
The Mazda driver failed to brake in time and was struck in the middle of the intersection by the Ford truck heading south on Bluff Street, Trombley said.
The Ford truck had the green light, Trombley said, and was moving to the far right lane just as the Mazda came through the intersection. The Ford driver told officers he was heading toward the southbound on-ramp of Interstate 15.
The impact sent both vehicles spinning in the middle of the intersection until the Mazda came to rest on the sidewalk of Blackridge Drive.
The teenage Mazda driver told officers he applied the brakes in an attempt to stop but they malfunctioned and he continued at the same speed until impact.
The Mazda was extensively damaged from being struck more than once as it spun out of control after impact.
Damage to the Ford truck was confined to its front end.
Airbags deployed in both vehicles on impact.
Traffic was affected when one southbound lane of Bluff Street was blocked and traffic redirected as emergency personnel cleared the scene. By 11 p.m. all lanes were open for travel.
The St. George Police and Fire departments, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or first 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.
Red Mazda four-door suffered extensive damage in two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive on a busy Saturday night, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Blue, late-model Ford pickup truck incurred extensive frontal damage during two-car crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Blue, late-model Ford pickup truck incurred extensive frontal damage during two-car crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Red Mazda four-door incurred extensive damage and was towed away after a two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive on a busy Saturday night, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Red Mazda four-door incurred extensive damage in two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive on a busy Saturday night, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News File photo: Emergency personnel respond to a two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Blackridge Drive on a busy Saturday night, St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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a brake failure is highly unlikely. teenage driving habits is more likely
Yes I find it funny all these newer cars have brake failures when a teenager is driving…
Ronnie. well they don’t make’em like they used 2 so it’s just easier 2 blame it on so called malfunctioning modern technology
and less derogatory comments towards Mexicans. Muslims and other cultures