KANARRAVILLE, Utah, Feb. 10, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Two people were flown to the hospital by medical helicopter Monday night after a crash on northbound Interstate 15 near milepost 48 in southern Utah.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Nick Street said the collision occurred at 6:29 p.m., when a black Jeep Wrangler and a black Peterbilt semi were both heading north in the outside travel lane.
“The semi was traveling approximately 75 mph,” Street said in a news release. “The Jeep was traveling significantly slower than the semi.”
The semi driver didn’t realize the Jeep was going as slowly as it was, the news release says, and the semi rear-ended the Jeep.
Troopers are investigating the possibility that the Jeep may have been traveling slowly on the shoulder of the road and merged in front of the semi, according to the news release.
The impact of the crash sent the Jeep off onto the shoulder, where it then rolled.
“Both the male driver and female passenger in the Jeep sustained significant injuries,” the news release says, adding that both needed to be extricated from the vehicle.
An initial report shortly after the crash indicated that one of the Jeep’s occupants was seriously injured and the other was in critical condition.
Both were transported from the scene by medical helicopter. The semi driver was not injured.
All three people involved in the crash were wearing seat belts, the release says, and the semi was not pulling a trailer.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information is made available.
I wonder if a conrete barrier forced the car into the truck’s lane? Very unfortunate for all involved! A reminder of how quickly our lives can change. Stay safe out there. And thank a 1st responder when you can. Southern Utah is a better place because of them.