ST. GEORGE — Cars were slip-sliding away in snowy conditions in Southern Utah early Friday afternoon.
The result was four cars sliding off the road and a Utah Highway Patrol vehicle getting hit, all in the area east of Zion National Park between Alton and Glendale.
The multiple slips and crashes around 1 p.m. resulted in U.S. 89 being closed for an hour for about a two-mile stretch between Lydia’s Canyon Road to the south and the Bryce Zion Campground to the north.
“It has to do a lot with speed and just snowy conditions,” Cpl. Luis Silva with the Utah Highway Patrol said.
Silva said initially, with snow steadily falling and icy roads, a gray Toyota Camry slid off the road into a ditch around mile marker 93 – about 2 ½ miles north of Glendale.
Immediately after, a white Kia Forte also slid off in the same area. Moments later, it was followed by a black Lexus RX-350 that hit the Kia.
A silver Chevy Uplander minivan then slipped off and hit the Lexus.
After the trooper arrived, they left their vehicle and began to investigate. That’s when their Chevy Tahoe was hit by a gray Ford Fusion.
The trooper was uninjured and their vehicle received a cracked bumper, but Silva said two others were transported from the area with “non-life threatening” conditions.
Silva said no citations were issued, but the crashes are still under investigation.
Just before 1 p.m., the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office issued an advisory about the area.
“Occasional winter driving conditions are occurring along US-89 between Kanab and Big Water continuing into tonight,” the weather service said on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. “Slow down and use caution!”
A winter weather advisory remains for the area east of Zion National Park and much of Kane County through 6 p.m. Saturday.
Updated 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 15: Correction on officer vehicle hit and additional photos from scene.
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