BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah, Sept. 28, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah Highway Patrol officer was in his patrol car Saturday afternoon when it was struck by another vehicle on rain-slicked Interstate 15.
The incident began at about 1:30 p.m. when UHP Sgt. Brian Nelson was called to his third crash of the day, a Utah Department of Public Safety news release says.
Nelson responded to the injury crash in the 398 Portage exit area on northbound I-15, where an SUV that was going too fast in the rain had crashed into the cable barrier in the median.
Upon arrival, Nelson told the driver to sit in his car in case anyone else lost control. He had a Plymouth Fire Department truck behind him with its lights flashing as a warning to other drivers until a second trooper could reach the scene.
At about 1:36 p.m., a white 2017 Dodge pickup truck went out of control on the wet road as it passed the firetruck. The pickup was northbound in the No. 2 outside lane and slid sideways across the No.1 inside lane, with the front of the truck sideswiping the passenger-side rear corner of Nelson’s 2018 Dodge Charger patrol car.
The impact shoved Nelson’s patrol car forward and closer to the median.
The Dodge pickup spun and its tail end hit the previously crashed SUV in the driver side. It continued to spin until it came to a stop about 50 yards north of the original crash scene, the DPS news release says.
Nelson suffered serious neck pain, and a medical helicopter was requested.
“Because of heavy rain, he was taken to Bear River Valley Hospital and checked out, and luckily he did not have any visible breaks, and the helicopter was canceled,” the news release says.
Nelson was treated and released, but he will have to follow up with his own doctor next week after resting, DPS said.
No information was provided regarding the other drivers or their current condition.
