Rollover crushes BMW; woman ejected, driver arrested

ST. GEORGE – A man was arrested for suspected impairment and a woman was taken to the hospital in the wake of a vehicle that rolled and collided with another vehicle, sending it through a brick wall Thursday.

Around 7 p.m., St. George Police were called to the parking lot of a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the area of 200 W. 500 North. There they encountered an obliterated BMW sitting on its right side next to a white Dodge pickup truck that had been shoved into a brick wall.

Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Witnesses told police the BMW was on Hope Street, heading toward 500 North and was traveling at “South Bluff (Street) speeds” in the wrong lane. When the driver attempted to make the turn, he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled, police Officer David McDaniel said.

The speed limit on South Bluff Street is 45 mph. Speed limits through residential areas similar to where the rollover occurred are generally 25 mph.

The BMW crashed into a post used to put a chain across the entry to the LDS chapel parking lot and tore it out of the ground. This threw the BMW on its other side and it slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck.

“When it hit the Dodge, the passenger was ejected because she was not wearing a seat belt,” McDaniel said. “She went through the sun roof (and) ended up underneath the Dodge and bounced off of the curb as the Dodge and the BMW came to a stop.”

The Dodge was shoved by the force of the BMW into a brick wall, sending debris onto another vehicle parked on the other side.

Watch video in the media player top of this report.

“We heard a big noise, we ran out, and someone who was (already) there said a car had flipped over and people are in it and they’re in trouble,” said Karen Fisher, whose home sits next to the church and had just had part of her wall decimated in the crash.

The general location of the rollover is marked by the red diamond | Click to enlarge the image | Map courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News

A woman who was passing by and happened to be a nurse stopped at the scene, as did another man who exited the church after hearing the commotion raised by the rollover, Fisher said.

While trying to help, Fisher’s son called 911 and got the first responders on the way.

The woman who had been ejected was bleeding from her head, Fisher said.

McDaniel was unable to comment on the extent of the woman’s injuries but said she was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center for care.

“She was alert and conscious, which is usually a good sign because she knew who she was and where she was,” McDaniel said.

The driver, a male who looked to be in his early 20s, appeared to have escaped injury and was taken aside by officers for possible sobriety testing.

He was ultimately taken into custody by police and placed into the back of a police cruiser. As this was done, the driver demanded to see his lawyer and threatened a lawsuit. The officers went about the business of putting him in the back of a car and continued to investigate the scene.

The driver was arrested on several charges, McDaniel said, adding, “A full list is not available at this time.”

As for a cause of the accident, McDaniel said impairment of some sort, possibly alcohol or drugs or both, was “very high on the list.”

Gold Cross Ambulance and the St. George Fire Department also responded to the scene. A Utah Highway Patrol trooper also arrived to offer aid.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

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12 Comments

  • comments February 3, 2017 at 1:15 pm

    He was probably trying to impress a date–thought his station wagon was a race car. Will she still be dating him after this. Also, LOL @ “south bluff speeds”, why not just say 50mph.

    • .... February 4, 2017 at 3:30 am

      Wow you really are amazing Bob. I’m serious now you even know what people are thinking. that must be why they call you the amazing Bob

      • Real Life February 4, 2017 at 9:17 am

        Says our amazing keyboard warrior at 3:30am. Sleep it off.

        • .... February 4, 2017 at 11:15 pm

          Get a life

          • Real Life February 5, 2017 at 10:54 am

            Get a job.

  • comments February 3, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    By the level of damage I’d say there was no attempt to slow the car before impact (or roll).

  • Henry February 3, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    So the apparently inebriated driver demanded to see a lawyer and threatened a lawsuit, as he was put into the back of the police car? Wonder if he “accidentally” hit his head against the car frame as he was being loaded into the vehicle? LOL

  • knobe February 3, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    I would be interested in seeing the insurance companies response after the claim is filed . . .

  • Pete McMillan February 3, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    This is not new. I’ve lived on upper Diagonal (Hope) since 1995 so I have seen lots of stupid drivers. Using the roundabout as a merry-go-round at high speed 3 or 4 times before shooting off down one of the streets. Skate boarders using both sides of the street to enjoy their ride. Motorcyclists gunning the bikes down the street as well as various makes of cars and trucks. Even the City vehicles fail to obey the 25 mph zone as well as police and fire trucks not on call. The one speed limit sign is right next to my property and not very easy to see, as if it would be headed if it was. Every since Danny McArthur and the rest of the GOB gang put thru the removal of the old Skyline and put in the new speed way our little neighborhood has had a steep increase in the amount of traffic. Thanks Danny, hope they do the same to your house as soon as possible. And as far as patrolling this area? None existent.

    It was not to long ago we had to put up with a filming crew racing motorcycles around the neighborhood with the city police standing around protecting the filming crew rather then the peace of the community. Police were in uniform and using city vehicles. When I went to ask about why they were allowed to operate the bikes in a manner that any resident would be sited for, if there was ever a police presence around to see, I was told the ST. George City Council had approved it. With out asking the residents, who would have been ignored as with most other subject as the elected council does as it wants, it was allowed and protected by our LEO from the house owners who might not being used as a race track.

    This is New St. George envisioned by Danny and the GOB’s. Congratulations Boys.

  • Chris February 4, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    How about an update on the identity of the perp in this case? He and his mug shot are featured on the WCSO arrest site. He’s a real piece of work!

    • comments February 5, 2017 at 11:00 am

      COLES-CHRISTENSEN, GABRIEL FRIT
      City/State: WASHINGTON / UT
      PCF Number: 541493

      Arrest Date: 19:50:00 02/02/17
      Agency: St George Police Department
      IN CUSTODY

      ALCOHOL-RESTRICT DRIVER VIOLATION
      DL SUSPENDED_REVOKED FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUG
      RECKLESS DRIVING
      FAIL TO STOP-SIGN
      DISORDERLY-UNREASON NOISE IN A PUBLIC PL
      DUI-WITH PERSONAL INJURY

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