Troopers: Distraction, fatigue possible factors in truck’s rear-end collision with semi on I-15

Written by Jeff Richards
August 13, 2021

CEDAR CITY — A rear-end collision on Interstate 15 Friday afternoon caused traffic delays but resulted in no serious injuries.

Scene of a rear-end collision involving a GMC pickup truck and a semitractor-trailer, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 13, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The incident, which occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. just north of Exit 59 in Cedar City, involved a black GMC pickup truck and a Peterbilt semitractor-trailer. Both vehicles had out-of-state license plates.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Bauer said both vehicles had been heading northbound, with the GMC in the No. 1 or left lane and the semi in the No. 2 or right lane.

“Some of the witnesses say they were driving faster than the speed limit and also drifting across the lanes,” Bauer said of the GMC driver. “We suspect that there’s a possibility that he was either distracted or possibly fatigued.”

The GMC impacted the left rear portion of the semi’s trailer and became stuck, with the semi dragging the pickup another half-mile or so before coming to a stop in the emergency lane off to the right side of the roadway.

The driver of the GMC did not appear to be seriously injured, although he was taken to Cedar City Hospital via ambulance for evaluation.

“He was wearing his seat belt and the air bags went off, so he was OK for that type of impact,” Bauer added.

The driver’s pet dog also appeared to be unharmed; she was taken to the local animal services shelter.

The GMC pickup sustained extensive front-end damage and was towed from the scene. However, the damage to the semi’s trailer appeared to be minor, with the vehicle remaining operable.

The right lane of northbound I-15 was closed for approximately one hour while the scene was cleared, causing delays of 5-10 minutes for traffic to pass through.

In addition to two UHP troopers, personnel from Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar City Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance also responded.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have two young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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