Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Bambi Baie said the incident, which was first reported about 7:40 a.m. near mile marker 13, involved a white Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that was pulling a large utility dump trailer. The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, is a worker at a construction site in Brian Head, Baie said.

“He was headed west, down off the mountain because he was going to the dump in Cedar City,” Baie told Cedar City News, adding that the vehicle’s brakes went out shortly after it started the descent.

“They overheated first of all, and they were super thin, so they just failed,” she said.

“Instead of going to the right, because he didn’t want to get going down too fast, he went into the (left side) embankment to stop the car so he wouldn’t go off the cliff,” Baie said.

The driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries that included whiplash and a possible broken leg, Baie said.

“He’s hurting, but his injuries were mostly minor,” she said, adding that the man was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.

The Tahoe sustained heavy damage and was later towed from the scene.

Baie said the driver received a citation for the faulty brakes, in addition for not being licensed to drive and not having valid proof of registration.

Brian Head Marshal’s Office personnel also responded to the incident.