‘I don’t know how he got out,’ woman says following rollover on Red Cliffs Drive in St. George

ST. GEORGEAt around 6:45 p.m. on Monday evening, Daisy Fuentes, 26, was driving northwest on Red Cliffs Drive with her 11-year-old sister when they crashed into another car turning left in front of them.

Firefighters with St. George Fire Department clear debris from the roadway, St. George, Utah, Dec. 20, 2021 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News

After Fuentes’ white Toyota Corolla struck the red Saturn S-Series crossing traffic, her vehicle came to a stop while the Saturn rolled over and came to rest on its driver side. The 18-year-old man driving the Saturn was able to safely exit the wreck and wait for police to arrive.

“I got out of the mall and I was heading straight in the second lane when he turned out in front of me,” Fuentes said. “I didn’t even see him. I don’t know how he got out, I mean look at his car.”

The St. George Police Department, St. George Fire Department and Utah Highway Patrol were called to take control of the scene and remove the damaged vehicles. Gold Cross Ambulance responded, but all three passengers between the two cars were uninjured and did not require transport.

Sgt. Brett Huish with the St. George Police said the man driving the Saturn was cited for failure to yield. He said the man may have mistakenly thought the Corolla was going to turn right and attempted to cross when he thought it was clear.

Tow operators were able to right the rolled Saturn S-Series and remove it from the intersection, St. George, Utah, Dec. 20, 2021 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News

“People just need to be careful and understand that, with all the traffic around, taking that extra split second to drive safely can make all the difference,” Huish said. “Unfortunately, it does take a lot of manpower but we’ll be able to get through it quickly with no injuries.”

Fuentes echoed Huish’s statement and asked that drivers take extra care while driving.

“This is my PSA: just drive safe,” Fuentes said. “I know everyone’s always in a hurry, but just slow down. Everything can change in seconds – I’m just glad everyone’s okay.”

Police closed the second westbound lane and turning lane at Red Cliffs Drive and Mall Drive for about an hour. Tow trucks removed both vehicles while firefighters cleared debris from the roadway.

With traffic expected to increase over the holiday weekend, police anticipate a rise in crashes. This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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

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