2 transported to hospital following 5-vehicle crash on SR-9 in Hurricane

ST. GEORGE — A crash involving five vehicles was set in motion when a driver failed to stop in time to avoid striking multiple vehicles on state Route 9 in Hurricane on Tuesday, a crash that sent two to the hospital and left multiple vehicles destroyed.

Pickup truck is launched on top of Ford Thunderbird following five-vehicle crash on state Route 9 and North 3700 West, Hurricane, Utah, Aug. 3, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Tina Doughty, St. George News

The five-vehicle crash was reported shortly after 10 a.m. at the intersection of SR-9 and North 3700 West in Hurricane.

Hurricane Police Officer Dan Raddatz told St. George News that initial reports indicated there was a driver who was trapped inside of his vehicle, a Ford Thunderbird, he said.

Responders arrived to find a Toyota pickup balancing on top of the Thunderbird, and the truck was also partially wedged on top of a charcoal-colored passenger car as well.

Raddatz said the driver of the Thunderbird had to be extricated by fire crews. Once freed from the wreckage, he was transported to St. George Regional Hospital for evaluation and treatment.

A passenger in one of the other vehicles involved in the collision was also injured, he said, and was transported to the hospital by ambulance as well.

The crash initially blocked the intersection as the vehicles came to rest in the middle of the roadway. Upon arrival, officers diverted all westbound traffic into a single lane, which allowed traffic to maneuver past the scene.

At the time of the collision, Raddatz said there were four westbound vehicles stopped at a red light on SR-9 and 3700 West, with the Toyota trailing the other three vehicles amid the line of cars waiting for the light to turn green.

That is when the Thunderbird struck the Toyota with enough force to push the truck into the passenger car just ahead, he said, while the Thunderbird became smashed underneath the truck, which is what started the chain reaction, he said. The impact pushed each of the vehicles forward into the next vehicle, and so on. The impact also left debris scattered across the roadway.

All motorists were properly restrained at the time of the crash, except the passenger who was transported to the hospital with injuries, he added.

One witness at the scene said the crash involving the Thunderbird appeared to be a secondary crash.

The investigation is ongoing, Raddatz said, adding that citations are pending.

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

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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