ST. GEORGE — Four cars collided on St. George Boulevard Saturday afternoon after a driver reportedly looked away from the road and slammed into the back of another vehicle, triggering another crash and sending one driver to the hospital.
Shortly before 3 p.m. officers and emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene of the crash on St. George Boulevard near S. 1000 East, St. George Police officer David McDaniel said.
A woman traveling east on St. George Boulevard in a gray Mazda during heavy traffic looked away from the road to find her glasses, the officer said, and failed to notice that traffic was completely stopped several feet in front of her.
Meanwhile, the driver of a charcoal gray Toyota Scion observed the Mazda as it came up behind him without slowing down, McDaniel said, and in an attempt to minimize the impact, pulled his vehicle forward while turning the wheel to the left, placing the car in a slanted position.
Unable to stop, the Mazda driver struck the Scion from behind on the passenger’s side, pushing the vehicle into oncoming traffic where it was struck by a silver Honda Civic that was traveling westbound. The impact sent both vehicles continuing west across two lanes of traffic, McDaniel said, until the rear-end of the Scion struck the back bumper of a white Honda Fit.
All three vehicles came to rest several feet from the intersection on St. George Boulevard near the sidewalk.
The woman driving the Honda Fit was injured in the crash and subsequently transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center. No other injuries were reported, McDaniel said.
The woman driving the Mazda was cited for careless driving and following too close or at a reasonable distance, the officer said.
All four vehicles sustained extensive damage in the collision and were towed from the scene.
Traffic was impacted for more than an hour while numerous responders, officers, firefighters and wreckers tended to the scene and cleared debris from the roadway, while additional officers redirected traffic in the intersection.
Several officers from the St. George Police Department, firefighters from the St. George Fire Department and medical personnel Gold Cross Ambulance service 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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Firefighters clearing scene of debris after four-car crash on St. George Boulevard Saturday injures a driver who is transported to the hospital, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George Numerous responders are dispatched to a four-car crash on St. George Boulevard Saturday that injures one driver who is transported to the hospital, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George Numerous responders are dispatched to a four-car crash on St. George Boulevard Saturday that injures one driver who is transported to the hospital, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George Firefighters clearing scene of debris after four-car crash on St. George Boulevard Saturday injures a driver who is transported to the hospital, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George Charcoal gray Toyota Scion is severely damaged after being pushed into oncoming traffic during a four-car crash on St. George Boulevard Saturday, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Charcoal gray Toyota Scion and gray Mazda sustained extensive damage in four-car crash that sends one driver to the hospital and impedes traffic Saturday on the Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Silver Honda sustains extensive damage in a four-car pile-up on St. George Boulevard Saturday that injures 1 who is transported and impacts traffic for more than one hour, St. George, Utah, Mar. 11, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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The woman “looked away from the road to find her glasses”? Why wasn’t she wearing her glasses already? Or was she actually looking away from the road while texting?