SPANISH FORK CANYON, Utah, Jan. 13, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A veteran snowplow driver for the state of Utah is recovering after an accident Thursday that sent him and his rig careening through oncoming traffic and down an embankment with a 300-foot drop.
Terry Jacobson was driving his snowplow on U.S. 6 just before noon Thursday when a semi trying to pass the plow on the right clipped it.
That pushed the Jacobson’s rig into oncoming traffic, where he barely missed a head-on crash. Unable to stop, the rig went barreling through the guardrail and down the embankment, falling a distance almost as far as the Statue of Liberty is tall.
“It went down 300 feet of embankment, rolling several times,” said Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation.
Jacobson, a 23-year veteran in his job, remained hospitalized Friday, in serious condition, with injuries that were not life-threatening, Baceras said. Jacobson was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.
UDOT on Friday released dramatic video shot by the dashcam of an oncoming vehicle that was not involved in the accident.
UDOT officials said they hope the video will help drivers understand the dangers of trying to pass snowplows.
The driver of the semi was ticketed.
Ticket and sued…back to the stoneage!