Police: Rollover in Gorge likely triggered by distracted driving

A driver is transported to the hospital after a rollover on I-15 northbound near mile marker 12, Littlefield, Ariz., Oct. 3, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A driver was transported to the hospital Tuesday afternoon and later cited after a rollover on Interstate 15 near Littlefield, Arizona, that police say was likely triggered by the driver becoming distracted.

Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire and Rescue responds to rollover on I-15 northbound near mile marker 12, Littlefield, Ariz., Oct. 3, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department, St. George News

Shortly after 2 p.m. MST (3 p.m. MDT) emergency personnel were dispatched to a  single-vehicle rollover reported on northbound I-15 northbound near mile marker 12, Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper Greg McBride said.

Upon arrival officers found a red Hyundai Elantra upside-down off the right shoulder just a few feet from the roadway. By the time troopers got there, the driver was already in the ambulance and on his way to Dixie Regional Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.

McBride said the driver was heading north on I-15 when the car veered to the left and off the roadway before hitting the soft median. The driver over-corrected to the right, which sent the Elantra careening off the interstate, blew both passenger-side tires and rolled the vehicle.

The driver reported to EMTs that he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, and McBride said he would likely be treated and released from the hospital. The trooper spoke to the driver at the hospital and said it appeared that he was likely distracted at the time of the rollover, as he wasn’t able to provide any other reason for veering into the median.

The driver was later cited for failure to control speed, causing an accident and for operating a vehicle without a proper license.

The Elantra was destroyed in the rollover and subsequently towed from the scene.

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

 

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3 Comments

  • LunchboxHero October 24, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    Yes, a citation! That’ll show ’em! Does anyone know whether the driver’s text was successfully sent?

  • Carpe Diem October 24, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    No license, no car, but a trip to the hospital and a ticket to pay a hundred bucks! Welcome to Utah, enjoy.

  • KR567 October 24, 2018 at 7:44 pm

    Yeah I’m sure this person learned their lesson..not !

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