Passenger trapped, goes into labor during Cedar City crash

White Toyota pickup truck is involved in a crash that sends a pregnant woman to the hospital, Cedar City, Utah, March 13, 2018 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A woman who reportedly went into labor during a traffic accident and was briefly trapped inside the car was freed by first responders and taken to the hospital Tuesday.

UPDATE March 20, 7:50 a.m. The female passenger started to have contractions shortly after the crash and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, and as a safety precaution being that she was so close to her due date. She did not have the baby, was released from the hospital and was home resting as of 3 p.m. Thursday, according to information released by Iron County Sheriff’s Lt. Del Schlosser. 

Officers and emergency personnel were dispatched at 6:23 p.m. to a crash at the intersection of state Route 56 and North Lund Highway involving a white Ford Focus and a 1996 white Toyota pickup truck, Iron County Sheriff’s Lt. Del Schlosser said.

White Toyota pickup truck is involved in a crash that sends a pregnant woman to the hospital, Cedar City, Utah, March 13, 2018 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Emergency personnel who found the pregnant woman passenger trapped inside the Ford were told she was in labor.

“The man’s pregnant wife was very close to her due-date and went into labor, or potential labor, during the crash,” Schlosser said.

Firefighters arriving on scene were able to extricate the woman from the wreckage, and she was transported to Cedar City Hospital by ambulance in stable condition.

The Ford was heading south on Lund Highway while the Toyota was heading north on the same road. The Ford turned left onto SR-56 and was struck by the Toyota.

“There is a bend in the road just before that intersection, so the Ford driver couldn’t see the Toyota until it came out of that curve and then he swerved to avoid it but it was too late,” Schlosser said.

The Ford was struck on the passenger’s side, which trapped the pregnant woman sitting in the front seat.

The crash is still under investigation and no citations have been issued at this point, Schlosser said, adding that from the information available to officers the occupants were properly restrained at the time of the crash.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

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