High winds flip double-wide trailer on state Route 17

Written by Brett Brostrom
January 1, 2015
Brackens Auto Tech and Tires came to assist the group moving a double-wide trailer that was blown by wind onto its side on state Route 17 in Toquerville, Utah, Dec. 31, 2014 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News

TOQUERVILLE – A double-wide trailer was flipped on its side Wednesday at approximately 9:30 a.m. due to high winds in the Toquerville area. The convoy, consisting of  front and rear pilot vehicles and the tractor-trailer carrying the double-wide, was traveling east on state Route 17 and came from Denver, Colorado,  heading to Colorado City, Arizona.

Members of the convoy had to stop and direct traffic while emergency crews with the help of Brackens Auto Tech and Tires out of St. George moved the trailer off the road.

“We were on our way from Denver to Colorado City, and the winds were just too much through this canyon,” the owner of the trailer said. “I hired a company to transport this thing and unfortunately because they’re so fragile, the trailer is pretty much garbage now. We are just moving it off the road right now and waiting for the wind to die down before we figure out what we can do.”

Wind gusts reached nearly 25 miles per hour when the convoy was passing through the area, according to weather.org. Because of inclement weather throughout the day, the trailer is still on the side of the road as of Thursday morning.

“There was a semi pulling a trailer with a trailer home at about mile marker 4, and as the driver took the curve on that road, the winds were so strong that it caught the trailer home and it rolled the trailer,” Lawrence Hopper of the Department of Public Safety said Thursday morning. “The truck stayed on all fours, so it was just the trailer that rolled. Fortunately there were no injuries. We called the tow crews but realized that the winds were too strong to move the trailer. So we moved it onto the shoulder and made arrangements with the company to move it today.”

Utah Highway Patrol and La Verkin City Police Department both responded to the accident, assisting the crew in keeping everyone safe and directing the flow of traffic.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

Brett Brostrom

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brett Brostrom has lived in St. George for 12 years. He has played guitar for 11 years and loves music. He enjoys spending time with his wife, participating in sports, and training with his German shepherd. He is currently studying mass communication at Dixie State University.

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6 Comments

  • dw January 1, 2015 at 11:45 am

    I assume you know a double wide trailer consists of two halves. I only see one section.

  • cutdownonpics January 1, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    Do you have to post all the pictures you take even when they are the same as the last?

  • Rob January 1, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    Q: how is a redneck divorce like a windstorm?

    A: Either way, someone’s going to lose a double-wide.

  • evil twins mommy January 1, 2015 at 10:51 pm

    I wasn’t aware all rednecks lived in double wides

  • koolaid January 1, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    Fixer upper for sale. Cheap!

  • Justme..... January 3, 2015 at 2:50 am

    That still looks better than the tents they are living in up there. What a shame this was lost…someone was waiting for a home.

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