WASHINGTON CITY – A 70-year-old man was transported to the hospital Tuesday morning after crashing his vehicle through a block wall behind a Washington City home.

The man, driving a white Ford pickup truck, was traveling south on Washington Fields Road at about 10 a.m., Washington City Police Public Information Officer Ed Kantor said. For a yet to be determined reason, the man’s truck crossed into the northbound lanes, jumped the curb and struck a boulder. The truck then came to a stop after crashing through a block wall near 2000 South on Washington Fields Road.

Witnesses at the scene said they believe the boulder caused the truck to flip in a different direction, which likely kept the vehicle from driving completely through the block wall and straight into the home on the other side of the wall.

Washington City resident Deanna Francis was in the front area of her home when she said she heard the loud noise of the truck smashing through the wall before it landed in her backyard.

“It sounded like an explosion,” Francis said. “We actually had somebody working on the home doing some repair work and so I thought that something had exploded. So, I ran out, and he said, ‘No, it wasn’t me but I heard the sound.’ So, we came around the back and saw, you know, the big puff of smoke, and the gentleman was thrown out of the vehicle and landed here by this rock as he rolled.”

That is when Francis said she called 911.

“He was, you know, dazed and confused but coherent – lot of blood – had some head trauma,” Francis said. “He did not know what happened. He kept asking if somebody had hit him or if anybody else was involved.”

The man was transported via ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical center in St. George for evaluation.

“He was conscious, breathing and alert and no apparent serious injuries at that time,” Kantor said.

However, Francis said: “I was having a hard time looking because he was very injured.”

The airbag deployed in the truck, Kantor said, adding it is still unclear whether or not the man was wearing his seat belt at the time of the collision. Witnesses at the scene said he was not wearing a seat belt.

As the cause of the collision is still under investigation, no citations have been issued until police determine the factors involved, Kantor said.

After the man has been treated for his injuries, Kantor said, officers will try to talk to him to see if they can determine what occurred.

The truck was extensively damaged as a result of the collision and had to be towed from the scene.

Aside from the obliterated block wall, flying debris struck Francis’ home during the crash.

“It’s done a lot of damage to windows and all the stucco, and our back kitchen has some damage done to it and, obviously, the landscaping,” Francis said, “but nothing in comparison to what this poor gentleman just went through, so I’m thankful that that’s all that happened.”

This report is based on preliminary information provided by authorities and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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