ST. GEORGE — An Orderville man was killed when his vehicle collided with a street sweeper on Interstate 15 Wednesday near Cedar City.
The 3 a.m. crash killed Joshua M Caruso, 21, who was driving a silver Dodge Neon. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a statement released by the Utah Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred on I-15 southbound near marker 43, just south of Cedar City, an area of the interstate that was under construction. The outside lane was closed for paving when the crash occurred.
The Dodge was heading south on the interstate, traveling in the inside lane of I-15, while a Freightliner street sweeper was in the outside lane that was closed to traffic.
The passenger car, traveling 70 mph, suddenly swerved into the outside lane and collided with the rear of the street sweeper truck, killing the driver in the Dodge who was not restrained at the time of the crash, according to the UHP.
The driver of the sweeper was not seriously injured.
Road and weather conditions were good at the time of the crash, UHP Sgt. Ryan Bauer told St. George News Wednesday, leaving authorities baffled as to why the driver veered into the outside lane.
“We have no idea why he went into that closed lane.”
Bauer is part of UHP’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team that was at the scene on I-15 a few hours later to determine how the crash occurred.
Caruso’s body was sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Salt Lake City for autopsy and toxicology tests, which is part of the crash investigation, Bauer said.
Half of the 30 traffic-related fatalities investigated by the Utah Highway Patrol this year took place after May 1, ushering in another season of the “Deadliest Days of Summer 2018.”
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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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
Was it a clean sweep?
Nice joke – unfortunately someone’s 21 year old son is dead today. Maybe if you attend the funeral it will make it a little more real for you.
He was a drug offender, so one has to wonder if he was high. Thank goodness he didn’t hurt or kill anyone else.
Just made notes last week about the weaving and bobbing speeders down 15. It’s inevitable folks, slow down, pay attention or pay the price.