Late-night driver swerves to miss deer, crashes U-Haul

Early morning accident on I-15 causes a U-Haul truck and car carrier to roll over, Washington County, Utah, July 31, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Lewis, St. George News

WASHINGTON COUNTY — A red-eye moving trip was interrupted for two people early Friday morning when the U-Haul they were traveling in rolled on Interstate 15.

The driver of the U-Haul told Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Lewis that she was traveling southbound on I-15 just after 2 a.m. when she swerved to miss a deer near milepost 30. When she swerved, she lost control of the U-Haul and careened across both lanes of traffic.

An early morning accident on I-15 caused a U-haul truck and towed car to roll over, Washington County, Utah,  July 31, 2015 |Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Lewis, St. George News
Early morning accident on I-15 causes a U-Haul truck and car carrier to roll over, Washington County, Utah, July 31, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Lewis, St. George News

The U-Haul 10-foot box truck ended up on its side in the left lane, and a car carrier the vehicle was towing detached from the truck and rolled in the median.

“There was a brother and sister in there (in the U-Haul),” Lewis said. “Both were checked out by medical, but neither one was transported.”

Both occupants were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.

The southbound left lane of I-15 was closed until just after 4:30 a.m. while troopers investigated the accident and cleanup crews worked to reopen the lane.

Both the U-Haul and the car being towed behind it sustained major damage in the wreck. Both were towed from the scene.

Lewis said no citations were issued in connection with the crash.

Units from the Utah Highway Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Hurricane Valley Fire, Leeds Area Fire and Utah Department of Transportation responded to the crash.

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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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

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4 Comments

  • AnnieMated August 1, 2015 at 12:58 am

    “You have to drive a little bit further than the hood of your car,” he said”. Positively sage advice, sir.

  • knobe August 1, 2015 at 5:59 am

    For years the deer near my place were going up the mountain as it warmed up in spring and back down in the fall .
    For the 1st time , I am seeing deer every evening during this summer .
    I’m guessing the upper mountains are super dry from lack of snow so they are coming down where there is water .
    Makes for far more dangerous night driving as they ‘blend in’ after dusk .

  • TODRYT August 1, 2015 at 9:52 am

    The deer are something I have to keep alert for driving to Enterprise on a daily basis. but it seems there are more now than earlier

  • DRT August 1, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Never swerve to avoid a deer, if you are traveling at highway speeds! You will be better off just hitting the animal. Sure, you are going to have some damage, but not like you do when you roll it!
    Even people who “take in the big picture,” by looking as far ahead of their car as they can, can be surprised by that deer that comes out of the barrow ditch and couldn’t be see. It happens.

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