TOOELE COUNTY, Oct. 11, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A 58-year-old man is in the hospital after his car collided with a semi hauling two trailers on Interstate 80 Monday night.
According to a news release from Utah Highway Patrol, the man was driving eastbound on I-80 in Tooele County shortly before 11 p.m. His vehicle was behind a commercial semi pulling a double-trailer carrying lime.
Both vehicles were in the same lane on a steep incline near mile marker 55, the release states. Officials suspect the driver of the car was fatigued, fell asleep at the wheel, and awoke as he was approaching the commercial vehicle.
He swerved left to avoid the rear trailer and went off the road into the median. He then overcorrected to the right and struck the commercial vehicle between the trailers, where his car became wedged under one of them.
The car was dragged by the commercial vehicle until it came to a stop, partially blocking lane two.
The driver of the car was transported to an area hospital in serious condition. His injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The driver of the semi was not injured. Both drivers appeared to be wearing seatbelts.
UHP said the lane would be closed until the vehicles could be separated.
