KANE COUNTY — An injured woman who crashed her truck down a steep embankment was discovered hours later by a passing driver who happened to glance her way.
Just after 9 a.m. Friday emergency responders were dispatched to a report of a truck sitting at the bottom of a ravine near the Mount Carmel Junction of state Route 9 and Highway 89, possibly with the driver still inside, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Lamar Heaton said.
Classic Lifeguard was also dispatched to the location of the crash from its heliport in Kanab, authorities said, in case air transport was needed.
As officers arrived they discovered a damaged 1995 Ford Ranger pickup truck about 20 to 30 feet below, resting at the bottom of the ravine with contents of the truck bed scattered about.
Authorities also found an injured woman still inside the damaged truck.
Heaton said the crash was discovered by a dump truck driver who told officers he thought he saw something in the ditch as he drove by and decided to pull over to take a look, Heaton said.
When he peered over the edge of the ravine he saw what appeared to be a crash scene with someone inside the vehicle. The man immediately called 911 and reported his findings, and minutes later emergency personnel and officers began arriving to the area.
Once emergency medical personnel reached the injured driver she was carried out and transported by helicopter to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George to be treated for her injuries.
The woman was in serious condition at the time of the air transport, Heaton said.
After a preliminary investigation officers determined the woman’s vehicle left Utah Highway 9 for an unknown reason, went over the side of the embankment and then landed nose first at the base of the ravine.
The incident actually happened a few hours earlier, Heaton said, which may have contributed to the woman’s medical condition when emergency personnel reached her.
The location where the truck landed made it nearly impossible to see from the roadway and officers were unable to glean any information from the driver before she was airlifted to the hospital.
“It looked like the truck had been there at the bottom of the ditch for a few hours,” Heaton said, “and who knows how much longer it could have been before the wreck was discovered had it not been for the dump truck driver’s call for help.”
Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Classic Lifeguard, Kane County Fire Department and Kane County Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and tended to the injured woman.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.
Du du du duhhhhhhhh the heroic, lifesaving superhero comes to the rescue we call him dump truck driver he has an eye for troubles. (I wanted to say trash but I don’t want to offend your belongings ?)
#dumptruckdriver
#fundraiser
I don’t believe in coincidences, I truly believe that the driver of the other vehicle was there by the power of a higher source. I hope she survives and all turns out well for her.
Her name was Sandra White-Kellerman and a dear friend she was coming to help another friend when she fell asleep at the wheel. She has passed away on 08-08-2016.
Sorry about the spelling of the name it is Sandra White-Kelemen.