Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — One person was injured following a collision on Dixie Drive Sunday evening after a driver ran a red light while trying to break up an argument between his kids.
St. George Police responded to the crash at the intersection of Dixie Drive and Black Ridge Drive involving a white Toyota Tundra pickup truck and a silver Nissan Pathfinder at approximately 6:52 p.m.
The driver of the pickup was westbound on Dixie Drive approaching the intersection as the driver of the Pathfinder was turning left off Black Ridge Drive to go east on Dixie Drive, St. George Police Officer Tiffany Atkin said.
The driver of the pickup told Atkin his kids were fighting in the back seat at the time of the incident.
“He was turned around kind of trying to break up a fight between his children,” Atkin said. “When he looked up, the light was red. He came through, couldn’t stop in time and hit the Pathfinder.”
A passenger in the pickup truck suffered minor injuries and was transported to the hospital by Gold Cross Ambulance for treatment.
“There were three small children in the pickup truck,” Atkin said. “They all seem to be OK, so that’s good news.”
Everyone involved was wearing seat belts.
The pickup driver admitted fault for running the red light, Atkins said, and was issued a citation for failing to obey a traffic signal.
Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and were towed away.
Emergency personnel from St. George Fire Department arrived to help clear the wreckage.
Traffic was slowed but mostly unimpeded as responders worked around the scene of the crash.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on Dixie Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 17, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Joseph Witham is a passionate journalist who has written, reported and edited for various publications since 2001. He is a Utah Valley University graduate with a bachelor's degree in communication. He loves Southern Utah's outdoors and hikes often in the region's red-rock canyons.