One killed in rollover off Telegraph Street

Fatal vehicle rollover off Telegraph Street, Washington, Utah, Oct. 17, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

WASHINGTON CITY – Washington City Police confirmed Thursday afternoon that a single-vehicle rollover claimed the life of the driver, a female juvenile.

The accident occurred around 1:20 p.m. when a passenger car ran off the road at 1700 East Telegraph St. and rolled down the side of the hill into a wash.

Life Flight was called to the scene as well as emergency crews from Washington and Hurricane cities.

Washington City Police Lt. Dennis Bailey confirmed the driver, the only occupant of the vehicle, was killed. He also said the family has been notified.

Due to the driver’s status as a juvenile, her name will not be released to the public.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.

Fatal vehicle rollover off Telegraph Street, Washington, Utah, Oct. 17, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Fatal vehicle rollover off Telegraph Street, Washington, Utah, Oct. 17, 2013 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

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43 Comments

  • Rob October 17, 2013 at 5:19 pm

    so that is the 3rd of 4th accident on this corner in the last 6 months are they now going to put up the guardrail that should have been there for years

    • Dr. Andrew White October 17, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      Guard rail and maybe another speed limit sign to remind drivers to slow it down.

  • Glen Barrett October 17, 2013 at 6:03 pm

    That section of Telegraph Rd. needs a guard rail, thats a dangerious section unders any speed and worse when the sun is setting this time of year.

  • Cheryl October 17, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    What a shame, just a young person. Prayers for their family… I’m so sorry!!!!

    • Rachel October 17, 2013 at 11:57 pm

      That was my friend. I was just talking to her yesterday
      :'(

  • Dan Lester October 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm

    Lots of places worse at sunset, but this one at 120 PM. New driver and excessive speed would be my bet, perhaps compounded by doing something with an electronic device? But I’m sure we’ll find out eventually. No point in jumping to conclusions.

    • mag October 17, 2013 at 10:25 pm

      Please remove your comment on the accident. I am a relative. Her mother along with friends and family dont need any speculations right now. I respectfully and politely ask. Thank you.

      • Jake October 18, 2013 at 10:48 am

        She was obviously doing doing some thing wrong (even if a cell phone wasn’t involved), cause cars just don’t jump off roads by themselves.

        As the family don’t become victims, instead use this as a teaching opportunity, to teach teens why driving safely is important.

      • luke c October 18, 2013 at 9:52 pm

        my condolences… people should just shut their mouths.. one of the easiest rules to learn as a kid… if you dont have something nice to say then dont say it…

    • Shane October 18, 2013 at 6:29 pm

      “No point in jumping to conclusions.” Although you already proffered up your brilliant speculations. Thanks for that contribution Dan Lester. Ne need to wait for facts to come out of the investigation. Best just to jump to conclus….errrr….proffer guesses.

  • Steve October 17, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    My initial thought was the driver hit the portion of the road that is failing. It has been getting worse and worse by the day. I wonder how bad it will get before Washington city fixes it. If you hit that part at the speed limit, it throws you around very badly.

    • toothpaste October 18, 2013 at 11:51 am

      I thought the same thing. I’ve hit that portion of the road in a car that I was driving for the first time and it sent me swerving.

      • toothpaste October 18, 2013 at 11:53 am

        Also, My prayers go out to that family. How sad to lose someone so young. My thoughts are with you in this trying time. My god bless you and be with you.

      • Anne October 20, 2013 at 7:54 pm

        I saw this on my way down. Cell phone distraction or not a precious life of a beautiful girl was taken from an accident that could have been much less tragic if there were a fixed smoothed road and lower speed limit here. I too have driven that road for work and totally agree that it needs to be fixed on the corner hill immediately. I wish peace to the family in knowing She is now safe of pain on the other side and will one day be reunited with her family for eternity. For now may many prayers be with this family.

    • Ohn October 18, 2013 at 3:26 pm

      This is a state Road…….. That should explain why it is not fixed. It is very dangerous. …
      Ed. ellipsis at end.

  • David October 17, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    You already jumped to conclusions. This poor girls family just lost their daughter. Ignorant assumptive asses with inappropriate comments love this town. For a few minutes I had thought this might be my daughter my prayers are with her and her family.

  • Rick Wright October 17, 2013 at 8:38 pm

    Mr Lester I think you shouldn’t give your two cents about what you think might of happened. The families probably will read this and they don’t need to hear that stuff right now. In the report they said that there were no skid marks, so that rules out speed. So just wish the family well and don’t speculate, that’s not your job.

  • Amanda October 17, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    I have been driving this road to work for the last 6 years. I have told my husband time and time again since the road started sinking that I have been afraid that I will be thrown off the road. Washington city better take this as serious as I have and fix it! A life has been lost due to your neglect.

  • Eric October 17, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    I hit that patch of road on Friday and there is one spot that made my who truck jump sideways because the road was buckling. I hope they check the road carefully because it looks super close to that bad spot.

    • debbie October 18, 2013 at 8:52 am

      please contract the authorities about that.. don’t leave it up to whoever that might read this.. there have been several accidents there in the last 6 months.. thats works looking into.. sometimes bad areas in the road just don’t jump out at people.. thnkx.

  • Marissa October 17, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    I want to thank all the ones that is showing companion in this hard time of losing someones daughter, sister, cousin, grandchild, friend aunt… And just think it could be your kid at any given time. So anyone that has some Assumption about what happened don’t post!! That is rude and inconsiderate of her family. The investigation will tells us all what happened. But think anything could happen to any of your family members so be careful what you post

  • Tammy Searfoss October 17, 2013 at 11:38 pm

    No Lester that happens to be my niece and no there was no speed involved. she crossed over the line and over corrected and ended up loosing her life seriously get a life and quite being so negative. My family is at a loss. At this time you should be sending your condolences not your rude stupid comment of what you think has happened. NO CELL PHONE INVOLVED!!!

  • Rachel October 18, 2013 at 12:00 am

    That was my friend. I was just talking to her yesterday :'( R.I.P

  • Brooke October 18, 2013 at 1:28 am

    Mr. Lester the teenager that died was one of my best friends she would never text and drive or anything like that and she was scared of that road and always went slow on that road so if you could please not jump to conclusions…

  • Connie October 18, 2013 at 7:55 am

    My dad and I drove passed the accident yesterday. I was hoping everyone was ok. I’m so sorry for your families loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

  • M October 18, 2013 at 10:04 am

    Very sad loss but freedom of speech is anyones right. If they want to speculate they can. If you are offended then just ignore it. As you all said the investigation will eventually tell all the details that people want to know.

  • Debbie Nadeau October 18, 2013 at 10:22 am

    Oh my gosh, I can’t imagine anything worse than losing your precious baby like this or any other way. I am so, so sorry for the families loss. I will be keeping you all in my prayers. Rest in peace little one. 🙁

  • Becka October 18, 2013 at 10:55 am

    May God bless her dear family. It is so very hard to lose a loved one, but even more so when it is a precious young one. My heart and prayers go out to her family. And my they feel the outpouring of love, compassion and the support of the community at this time.

  • My Evil Twin October 18, 2013 at 11:30 am

    I drive that section of road once or twice a week to get out to Hurricane, and to get back from there. There is no way that this accident can be the fault of “the road.” Speed limit there is just fine, if you stick to it, and pay attention to your driving.
    I’m terribly sorry that this young woman died. But it is just stupid to try to blame it on Washington City. The law says that you drive at a speed appropriate to road conditions, no matter what the speed limit says. (I’m paraphrasing, of course.)
    I am so sick and tired of these crashes occurring, and I’m even more sick and tired of people trying to shift the responsibility for the cause of these accidents.
    I cannot count the number of fatal crashes that I have responded to over the years. But with extremely few exceptions they all have one thing in common. That is DRIVER ERROR.

    • San October 19, 2013 at 3:57 am

      I drive it too….but this accident happened on the OTHER side of the road. Apparently there is a problem there. Don’t judge until you drive it.

  • Lionel Tatum October 18, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    Ugh, probably texting. Glad no one else was hurt.

  • kammy October 18, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    M, Yes your right we have freedom of speech but in times like these we should be respectful and keep certain thoughts to ourselves! Evil twin, you may have never had a problem on that road but obviously others have! Dan Lester and Jake, my aunt rolled of at this exact same spot long before texting even existed. And yes there still is speeding but like Brooke said she was scared of that road. She was an amazing girl and her family does not deserve this. I was just a friend and it hurts so bad hearing what some of you have to say! I cant even imagine how your hurting her family with your words. Is it so important to you to say these things that your willing to hurt people? Thank you to those who have been so respectful and kind!!!!!

  • Anonymous October 18, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    For all of those people who are saying that it was “driver error'” I have one question. What if it was YOUR daughter, son, spouse, friend, or other beloved one? Would YOU be saying “driver error?” Would YOU be upset if someone else, especially someone who does not have a single CLUE what they are talking about, said that this was a “driver’s error?” Think before you act, and don’t you EVER post something like that EVER again. That is my COUSIN. We are GRIEVING and we don’t need stuck up pompous fools like YOU spouting whatever you want. We are grieving. The last thing we need is some heartless jerk telling us that it’s all her fault. I REFUSE to let my last memory of my best friend be “something she had coming.” She was a great person, and if you knew her, you wouldn’t have even THOUGHT of posting those arrogant, hateful, and hurting comments. Grieving families don’t need the words of heartless beings.

    • My Evil Twin October 18, 2013 at 9:05 pm

      I’m terribly sorry for this young woman’s death. But it does not change the fact that it was most likely driver error that caused it.
      Now then think about this. I have responded to hundreds, if not thousands of crashes during a long career in law enforcement, fire service and emergency medical service. I am sick to death of seeing people kill themselves and kill others because of their actions behind the wheel. I have had many people die as my crew and I were attempting to extract them from wrecks. I have had people literally die in my arms, while trying to maintain an airway so they could breath as they are being freed from a wreck. I have seen, heard the screams of, and smelled people being being burned to death while trapped in a car on fire.
      So I will say and do everything that I can, to wake people up to their driving.
      I don’t care if you think I am arrogant or unfeeling. I know you are hurting, and I’m sorry for your pain. I’m also sorry for every first responder that has to go to the scene of these crashes and save people.
      Do you really think it helps anyone to sweep the cause of these crashes under the carpet? To hide them because of what a good person the victim was? How about, just maybe, if one person reads this stuff, and realizes, “I could be next,” and changes their driving pattern it will save their life. And maybe even YOURS.
      Heartless? I’m far from heartless, and I challenge you to start volunteering with one of the local fire departments as a first responder. Of course you won’t. You are too busy.
      But I’m the heartless one.

      • Dan Lester October 19, 2013 at 12:19 pm

        Guess I’m the other twin to you. In single vehicle accidents it is some sort of driver error 99% of the time. Drinking, not paying attention, texting, eating, fiddling with radio, hitting kid in back seat, reading map, speeding, falling asleep, fighting with passenger, etc. The cases that are otherwise are very rare, and some of them are still driver error (worn tires, bad brakes, etc)

        If I were driving on a road I was scared of I’d be particularly careful and driving especially slow.

        I spent many years dealing with these issues. I’ve had a couple of very close calls myself that were MY FAULT.

        I’m sorry for the loss of this young woman, as well as the others. But people need to read and listen through their tears.

    • San October 19, 2013 at 3:54 am

      Well said. It’s sickening to think that such a valuable young life has ended so quickly…maybe that’s why people (who have nothing better to do than offer comments on subjects they do not understand) would say something to hurtful. Not the first time, won’t be the last. I’m so sorry for your loss. Don’t be afraid to talk with your school counselor, or a crisis hotline, if you need to talk.

  • Rick Wright October 18, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    Before I start I want to apologies for my choice of words but I’m really pissed off at the rudeness that have been shown to who I consider family. You all need to get a life and not post anything but condolences and if you can’t muster that dignity then use the golden rule that you should of been taught when you were younger, “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.” I want to address two ass clowns in my lilttle rate. 1st is the heartless My Evil Twin. Where do you get off saying that its a drivers fault? There are a lot of others that have said that that road is bad so just cause you think your billy badass at driving doesn’t mean everyone is as skilled as you are. Ok 2nd is to M. Yes I understand freedom of speech and I honor that trust me I do. But you have to be a complete Moran to say something like that when a family is grieving. How would you feel if someone said that about a loved on that you lost. So I beg people please if your going to comment please choose your words wisely. I want to also thank all the kind words that have been said. I have know this family for over 15 years and I love all them.

  • Jeckyll October 18, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the girl involved in this tragic incident. I also extent my sympathies to the Washington City Police officer who had to relay this news to the family. I doubt such news is ever easy to relay. May God be with all those touched by this event.

  • Anonymous October 19, 2013 at 11:38 am

    My Evil Twin
    I will gladly become a first responder in emergency situations, and even if it does turn out that maybe it was her fault, she does Not deserve to be remembered as someone who was reckless and it cost her her life. You are right when you ay that I am too busy. I live 4 hours away from Hurricane and I am busy with being involved with extracurricular activities while maintaining a high GPA. I realize that these things happen and there is nothing I can do about it, but every death, regardless of driver error or not, deserves sympathy. Sympathy for the life lost, the grieving family, and if it is driver error, sympathy that these are the consequences. But no one deserves to hear hateful words. “My right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins.” Apply this quote to our current situation, if you so deign to.

  • trucker October 19, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    My friend was first on site. He seen her pass him texting on her phone then got in front of him and when the car came over the ridge where the road makes a bend she went off the road tried to correct but over corrected and rear end of the car got over the embankment and went over.I’m sorry for the family lost my prayers go out to them and family.

    • Dan Lester October 19, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Well, for all those who say she wouldn’t text and drive…..none of us is perfect. And I know I’m not. I used to be, but then I got smarter.

  • Anonymous October 19, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    And also, Evil Twin, as someone who has been a first responder to these tragedies, you ought to show more compassion toward your fellow man during a time of grief. Don’t you DARE flaunt my cousin’s death as a warning to others. I was already scared to drive today because of what happened. No one’s death should be floundered about as a warning to others. We don’t need you to remind us that my cousin and best friend is dead. It’s hard enough to look at the things that she gave me as gifts without crying. I’m way too scared to drive right now and when I did drive today, I was very precautious. I will always keep her alive in my memory and I know that right now, she is safe from this hateful, backwards world where people can say whatever they like without being accountable for it. Actions have as much consequences as words do. And words are even more biting. Do NOT flaunt her death as a warning to others. Yes, people do need to know, but there is no cure for stupidity. Flaunting her death is despicable and degrades the amazing person that she was. She does not deserve to be remember as another teen who had no idea what she was doing. My only consolidation is that now she is safe and never has to hurt again, especially at the cruel words of people like you. Her death is meant to be mourned because now, she is not there to be a light to those around her. I lost a best friend. And you have no right whatsoever to mar her good name.

  • Anne October 20, 2013 at 8:14 pm

    I drove past the accident right after it had take. Place. Im sad to have found it was fatal for a young beautiful girl. Regardless of the reason she crashed I must add my opinion of that area on that road that I have driven very often. The uneven and unguarded curve in that road is dangerous. Even while doing the speed limit posted or less that area shifts your car causing it to jerk. I pray that the city will see the need to fix it and lower the speed there. I’m so glad no one else was involved in this accident but may we all be smart to not text and drive, be more aware of surroundings and definitely be considerate of this precious life taken and her mourning family. May the eternal perspective be well in their minds that she is now free of pain and will one day be reunited with her loved ones forever!

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