Driver allegedly tries to ‘shoot the gap turning left’ resulting in collision with minor injuries

Two-vehicle collision at Dixie Drive and Sunset Boulevard, St. George, Aug. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Two passengers were injured when two cars collided in a busy intersection on Sunset Boulevard Saturday afternoon, triggering a traffic backup that took nearly an hour to clear.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. emergency personnel responded to a crash in the intersection of Dixie Drive and Sunset Boulevard involving a white Saturn passenger car and a white Chevrolet Malibu.

“The witness statement said that traffic was flowing through the intersection straight and it appeared as though the Saturn was trying to shoot the gap turning left,” St. George Police officer Ken Childs said.

Upon arrival emergency responders found two damaged vehicles in the intersection with the Malibu blocking both westbound lanes which brought all westbound traffic on Sunset Boulevard to a standstill until officers were able to divert traffic onto Dixie Drive and Dixie Downs Road, Childs said.

Emergency medical personnel began checking for injuries and found that the passenger in the Saturn suffered an injury to his finger that appeared to be swollen, the officer said, and told paramedics treating him at the scene that he would go to the emergency room later to have the finger examined. The passenger also told officers that the injury may have been caused by placing his hand on the dash seconds before the crash as he braced himself for impact.

Paramedics also found a passenger in the Malibu who reported minor injuries but declined to be transported to the hospital, the officer said.

All vehicle occupants were properly restrained at the time of the crash, Childs said. No other injuries were reported at the scene.

After speaking to both drivers and witnesses at the scene officers determined that the Saturn was heading south on Dixie Downs toward Sunset as the northbound Malibu was heading towards Dixie Downs Road, Childs said.

As the Saturn entered the intersection the driver attempted to turn left onto Sunset Boulevard and was struck by the northbound Malibu before completing the turn. The impact sent both vehicles spinning in the intersection.

The driver of the Saturn told officers that he thought he had a green arrow and continued through the intersection attempting to turn left onto Sunset Boulevard heading east.

However, several witnesses told officers that the Saturn driver appeared to accelerate through the intersection to make the turn, Childs said, while northbound traffic continued through the intersection on a green light.

A citation for failing to yield on a left-hand turn was issued to the driver of the Saturn.

Traffic was impacted for nearly an hour as responders cleared debris, tended to the scene and towed both vehicles from the intersection.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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3 Comments

  • utahdiablo August 13, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    Yeah…..let’s add some legal Marijuana into this mix huh?

    • Proud Rebel August 14, 2017 at 8:58 am

      Oh wow man, far out. Maybe we can throw some dust and acid into the mix, to get rid of certain “undesirables.”
      SMH

  • Mike P. August 14, 2017 at 10:19 am

    “Shoot the gap” ? that’s what their calling it now? How bout shooting the idiot’s that keep doing this?

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