After the holidays, freight traffic on I-15 in Washington County is lined with highway accidents – St George News

The Freightliner tractor-trailer was involved in a crash on Interstate 15 near Exit 16 in Hurricane, Utah, on May 28, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – The incident involving a tractor-trailer near Hurricane was the fourth to occur in Washington County on Tuesday.

Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze told St. George News he transported a man to the hospital in St. George after a crash occurred near mile marker 15 around 6:30 p.m.

A 62-year-old man who was “visiting the area” was driving a Kia Soul south on Interstate 15 when the incident occurred, Hintze said. A man in his 30s, driving a Freightliner tractor-trailer with a trailer, was traveling in the middle of the three southbound lanes on I-15, just past the Exit 16 ramp.

“The man in the Kia entered the highway in the far right lane and then abruptly changed to the middle lane,” said Hintze. “The driver of the semi-trailer had footage from the dashboard camera that he made available at the scene of the accident. It shows the Kia crashing into the passenger side of the truck.”

The driver of the Kia was cited for improper lane changing, Hintze added. The driver of the semi-trailer was not injured. The driver of the Kia also initially refused medical treatment.

“He initially refused medical treatment,” said Hintze. “But I had the feeling that something was wrong and ruled out drunk driving. He agreed to let me take him to the hospital to have him checked for possible head injuries. Nothing serious, probably just a mild concussion.”

About an hour before this incident, emergency crews were at the scene of a tractor tire blowout. Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Cameron Roden said an accident occurred at 5:07 p.m. when a tractor-trailer tire blowout occurred, causing the driver to veer into the median near Leeds.

Southbound traffic on I-15 was limited to one lane for about an hour during the incident. When asked about the back-to-back incidents, Hintze said this was the fourth incident in a row.

“I just told the patient I transported that this was the fourth case today involving a tractor-trailer and trailer or van,” he said. “It was a busy day.”

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other law enforcement agencies and may not contain the full extent of the findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or until a trial judge determines otherwise.

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