WASHINGTON COUNTY — Visitors from South Dakota had their travels abruptly interrupted when a mechanical malfunction caused their truck and camping trailer to spin out of control Friday night.
Troopers from Utah Highway Patrol were dispatched to the scene of the incident at approximately 11:45 p.m. near milepost 35 on the southbound lane of Interstate 15.
The 2016 GMC Sierra pickup truck towing a 29-foot-long camping trailer was traveling in the right lane of traffic when an apparent mechanical error caused the trailer’s brakes to lock up. The trailer whipped and then jackknifed, forcing it and the truck off the right side of the road, UHP Trooper Joe Pastor said.
As the truck and trailer spun around in the shoulder lane, the trailer tipped onto its side before flipping back upright onto all four wheels. It and the truck were forced into a 180 degree spin, coming to rest facing north in the southbound right shoulder lane, Pastor said.
Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue also responded to the incident, but neither the man driving the truck nor its passengers reported any injuries. The driver and passengers were wearing seat belts.
The driver was not speeding, and Pastor speculated the main cause was the mechanical issue involving the trailer’s brakes with the weight of the trailer also possibly contributing to the incident.
No citations were issued, and no other vehicles were involved.
The truck’s back end was damaged, but it was still operable. However, the trailer’s damage was severe enough that it had to be towed away by a wrecker, having sustained extensive damage to its tongue.
Metal debris from the trailer was apparent where the trailer initially toppled, and propane tanks thrown from the trailer were damaged, releasing gas into the air.
Washington County Sherriff’s Office also responded to the incident.
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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A truck that was towing a camping trailer sustains damage after the trailer rolled onto its side and then uprighted on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Nov. 26, 2016 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
A badly damaged camping trailer rests on the side of the road after rolling onto its side and then uprighted on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Nov. 26, 2016 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Damaged propane tanks release propane gas into the air after being thrown from a trailer that rolled onto its side and then uprighted on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Nov. 26, 2016 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
L-R: Utah Highway Patrol Troopers Joe Pastor and Mike Murphy examine the scene of a trailer rollover on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Nov. 26, 2016 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
A badly damaged camping trailer rests on the side of the road after rolling onto its side and then uprighting on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Nov. 26, 2016 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
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The most important thing here is that no one was hurt and both occupants will be able to go home to their family and friends.