1 dead, another seriously injured in rollover near Monticello

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ST. GEORGE — One person is dead while another sustained significant injuries in a vehicle rollover incident in San Juan County last week.

On West Summit Road, east of Monticello, a passerby contacted the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office on June 15 following the discovery of a single-vehicle rollover crash, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

The crash involved a Dodge Ram pickup truck carrying three occupants – the driver, Jared Ehlers, 41, and passengers Clay Cowan, 30, and Stephanie Zimmerman, 38.

Ehlers is believed to have been traveling at an excessive rate of speed when he lost control of the truck and it rolled at least three times, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Ehlers was ejected from the truck and received significant injuries. He was flown by medical helicopter for care to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Zimmerman was also ejected from the truck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cowan, who was wearing a seat belt, received minor injuries and was taken to San Juan Hospital for examination and released later the same day.

This incident remains under investigation, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

According to a study produced by CoPilot examining the worst states and counties for speeding across the United States, it was determined that 28% of traffic deaths in Utah are speeding-related incidents.

The CoPilot study examined data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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