ST. GEORGE — A 10-minute chase between two drivers ended in a physical altercation Wednesday evening in a business parking lot.
Just after 7 p.m. officers were dispatched to the parking lot of Ace Hardware on North Bluff Street in St. George in response to a reported vehicle accident, St. George Police Sgt. Spencer Holmes said.
The accident involved an older model red Jeep and a black Kia sedan.
Officers at the scene indicated it appeared to be a road rage incident, Holmes said, and the driver of the Jeep fled the parking lot right before police arrived.
Brandon Farringer, 20, of Washington City, was driving the Kia. He said the incident started on Brigham Road in the Bloomington area of St. George when he accidentally cut off a vehicle behind him. Farringer described the vehicle as a Jeep that ended up following him from Brigham Road onto northbound Interstate 15 where, he said, the Jeep driver attempted to run him off the roadway.
The Jeep driver continued to follow him off I-15 and onto Bluff Street, Farringer said, and ultimately into the Hurst Ace Hardware Parking lot.
Once in the parking lot, the driver of the jeep, who Farringer described as possibly being in his 40s, parked his Jeep nearby then proceeded to ram the front of Farringer’s car with the Jeep.
The two proceeded to get into a fist fight, Farringer said, at which point Ace Hardware employees apparently called 911.
The driver of the Jeep then returned to his vehicle and got a crowbar, Farringer said, using the crowbar to shatter the passenger side window of his Kia sedan.
The driver of the Jeep left the scene before police officers arrived.
“At this point it is an active investigation, so very little information can be released at this time,” Holmes said, “it is being investigated as a possible road rage incident, but we won’t know until the investigation is concluded,” he said.
St. George Police and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene, and no serious injuries were reported.
As of Saturday morning, the St. George Police Department did not have anyone immediately available to offer updates on the incident or its investigation.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
St. George News reporter Ric Wayman contributed to this report.
Ed. Note: References to I-15 direction from Brigham Road on-ramp to Bluff Street off-ramp corrected to northbound.
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
Black Kia sedan involved in an accident on North Bluff St., St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015, | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Window shattered during incident on North Bluff Street in St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Black Kia sedan involved in an accident on North Bluff St., St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015, | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Black Kia sedan involved in an accident on North Bluff St., St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015, | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Window shattered during incident on North Bluff Street in St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Interior of vehicle where window was shattered during incident, North Bluff Street, St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Black Kia sedan involved in an accident on North Bluff St., St. George, Utah, Dec. 23, 2015, | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.
Just be glad the Jeep driver didn’t have a gun!
IF you are being followed like this, drive to the nearest police station. Do not stop in a parking lot, your home or anywhere else.
“Just be glad the Jeep driver didn’t have a gun!”
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You commie punk. Guns will always make us safer. Had both parties been armed with both hand guns and assault rifles, freedom and liberty would still be ringing in everyone’s ears.
Too bad the Kia driver didn’t have one, could of legally used it.
I know right? Just imagine what would have happened if the driver of the Jeep had been an NRA nut like Native Born or his father/brother/cousin Mesaman?
I’d say call police and have them meet you before you pull over somewhere. Then they can handle the aggressive driver.
Oh Boy, Here we go, no more Sleepy St George
Truly, this is the umpteenth time I have had to correct your articles regarding locations in our area. Why can’t your writers give correct locations and directions?
“He said the incident started on Brigham Road in the Bloomington area of St. George when he accidentally cut off a vehicle behind him. Farringer described the vehicle as a Jeep that ended up following him from Brigham Road onto southbound Interstate 15 where, he said, the Jeep driver attempted to run him off the roadway.
“The Jeep driver continued to follow him off I-15 and onto Bluff Street…”
Brigham Road is in the Bloomington Hills area, on the opposite side of the freeway from Bloomington. To drive from Brigham Road (Exit 4) to Bluff Street (Exit 6), you have to drive on northbound I-15.
Are your writers just completely lost around here, or does your editor not care to get things right? Sometimes it is quite important to know precisely where a problem is happening.
Brigham is on both sides of I-15.. so it could be either Bloomington or Bloomington Hills.
I’m not one for having a keen sense of direction but if I’m in Bloomington or Bloomington hills and I got on I-15 southbound, wouldn’t I end up in Arizona?
You would. The direction in the story was in error. To go from Bloomington’s Brigham Road on-ramp to Bluff Street is northbound.
ST. GEORGE NEWS
Joyce Kuzmanic
Editor in Chief
What’s new.
Said what’s new at 9:51 AM. At 7:55 PM still awaiting moderation. Why
Not sure why your earlier comment was not approved yet; I’m approving your comments now, 42214. That work?
ST. GEORGE NEWS
Joyce Kuzmanic
Editor in Chiev
Should not take all day
Hey SteveSt Dork you have NO idea where anybody was. so correct yourself by keeping quiet .!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha St George drivers.! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
I would say good thing the Kia driver did not have a gun or at least did not use one. Anybody coming at me with a crowbar probably is not going to walk away.
Although I would never stop and confront them without notifying Law Enforcement. To you in the red jeep you are lucky D-Bag
Road rage is cool.
I love to video road rage. I make a lot of money when people don’t want certain thing’s known.