Suspected DUI on southbound I-15 causes chain reaction of collisions

Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue responds to the aftermath of three crashes on southbound I-15 around milepost 22, Leeds, Utah, Nov. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

LEEDS – Travel on southbound Interstate 15 through Leeds was reduced to a crawl due to crashes in chain-reaction that started with a suspected DUI incident Thursday afternoon.

Crash 1

Around 2:25 p.m., near milepost 22 on southbound I-15, a man driving a pickup truck was reported to be weaving in and out of traffic until crashing into the guardrail, Utah Highway patrol Trooper Mark Cooper said.

The man involved in the incident, later identified as a resident of Bountiful, was arrested and taken to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility. He faces misdemeanor charges related to driving under the influence of alcohol and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.

The aftermath of a multi-vehicle collision on southbound I-15 around milepost 22, the second of three crashes that occurred in close succession. Leeds, Utah, Nov. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

As the truck was partially in the roadway, traffic began to slow to avoid it and the emergency responders who had been dispatched to the scene.

Crash 2

A second crash occurred while traffic was slowing.

A black Ford passenger car began to slow, causing a Winnebago RV to slow behind it. However, a white GMC truck behind the Winnebago did not slow and stop in time, resulting in a crash involving all three vehicles.

The Ford passenger car received some damage to its rear end, but was able to be driven away. The Winnebago and GMC did not fare as well.

The front and back ends of the RV were damaged, with the rear of the Winnebago receiving the more visible damage. The front of the white GMC was decimated. Both had to be towed from the scene.

Everyone involved was wearing a seat belt and there were minor injuries involved, Cooper said.

One woman, a passenger in the Winnebago, was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George by ambulance due to needing stitches for a cut to her head.

Any citations to be issued related to the three-car crash are pending, Cooper said.

Crash 3

While the second crash was being handled, another rear-end collision occurred between a Jeep and the back of a semitrailer north of the crash scene, Cooper said. He did not comment on the condition of those involved in the third collision.

This report is based on statements from witnesses and may not contain the full scope of findings.

•••

ED. NOTE – CLARIFICATION: This report initially published with a photo above the headline that included a Jones Paint and Glass company vehicle, an unfortunate coupling on the part of St. George News that led to a misinference by some that the DUI suspect in this story was somehow associated with Jones Paint and Glass, a St. George business. Such is not the case.

The DUI suspect was driving the vehicle in the first crash. The Jones vehicle was involved in the second crash.

The subject photo and associated media have been removed to eliminate further confusion. Photos from the first and third crashes were not obtained or immediately available at publication.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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6 Comments

  • mshaw November 3, 2017 at 1:29 am

    Just think of …
    Ed. ellipsis (see reply below).

    • Avatar photo Joyce Kuzmanic November 9, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Allow me to clarify, mshaw, as we did put photo and headline together that has caused some misinterpretation.

      The Jones Paint and Glass vehicle (shown in the photo first published with this report) was not involved in the first crash that involved a suspected DUI.
      The Jones vehicle was involved in the second crash – no suspected DUI there.

      The report has been updated for clarity and the photo removed.

      ST. GEORGE NEWS
      Joyce Kuzmanic
      Editor in Chief

  • Real Life November 3, 2017 at 6:40 am

    Not a very good advertisement for Jones Paint and Glass.

    • indy-vfr November 3, 2017 at 1:35 pm

      Seems as though any vehicle with a business or trade name on the door has a license to speed in STG???

    • Avatar photo Joyce Kuzmanic November 9, 2017 at 6:54 pm

      Please pardon us, Real Life, for our most unfortunate coupling of photo and headline.

      The Jones Paint and Glass vehicle photographed was not involved in the first crash that involved a suspected DUI.
      The Jones vehicle was involved in the second crash.
      The report has been updated for clarity and the photo removed.

      ST. GEORGE NEWS
      Joyce Kuzmanic
      Editor in Chief

  • SteveSGU November 3, 2017 at 10:11 am

    Misdemeanor?!! He could have killed someone!

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