ST. GEORGE — A woman walked away uninjured Saturday after the semi-tractor trailer she was driving smashed through a concrete barrier and launched 20-feet down a ravine near River Road in St. George Saturday.
At approximately 5:11 p.m., officers and emergency personnel responded to a report of a rollover involving a semi-tractor trailer near 6364 S. River Road in St. George, approximately 3 miles from the Arizona Strip, St. George Police Officer David McDaniel said.
The woman driving the semi-tractor trailer was heading northbound on South River Road after leaving the Port of Entry at the Utah border. As the semi approached a small hill the driver tracked the curve a little wide, McDaniel said, and once it hit the gravel the truck smashed into a concrete barrier after the driver lost control.
The cab hit the concrete barrier first, launching it into the air, while at the same time the trailer came smashing down on the concrete culvert, McDaniel said. The impact bent the frame of the semi and sent the truck rolling over onto its side as it slid down the embankment.
The driver was hauling a load of dry goods to Family Dollar Distribution Center, located at 4815 S. River Road, less than 1 mile away at the time of the crash.
The woman was able to exit the semi on her own, McDaniel said, and reported to officers and emergency personnel that she was uninjured.
“She walked away from that crash,” McDaniel said, “and she was wearing her seat belt at the time, which helped.”
A Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspector with Utah Highway Patrol was dispatched to the scene and conducted a roadside inspection of the truck and damages, McDaniel said.
No citations were issued at the scene, as the crash is still under investigation, McDaniel said, and will be ongoing for the next few weeks.
St. George Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol, Arizona Department of Transportation and the St. George Fire Department responded to the scene.
Two tow trucks were also required to remove the truck from the ravine.
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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Officers and tow truck driver look over truck before it is pulled from ravine off of River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016, | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Undercarriage of truck after rollover on River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016, |Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Concrete that was damaged from rollover of semitractor-trailer, River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News A semitractor-trailer rolled off South River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News A semitractor-trailer rolled off South River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Top of semitrailer after it rolled off South River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Concrete that was damaged from rollover of semitractor-trailer, River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Cab of semitractor-trailer rolled off South River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Concrete that was damaged from rollover of semitractor-trailer, River Road, St. George, Utah, June 18, 2016| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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Another driver going to be looking for a job.
With her driving record, she may have to go to Mexico to find her next truck driving job.
…. in another career. No trucking company would hire her after this serious an accident.
She won’t have a problem finding a truck driving job in St George
I had a friend who did OTR trucking for about 5 years .
Their training was all back east but soon after completing the course ,
They were sent on a lot of cross country runs .
I would think driving in the flat lands east of the Mississippi
would have different issues than we have out west .
Trucking companies should have experienced trainers in the cab when they do their initial western runs .