Wind gust factors in camping trailer rollover on I-15

WASHINGTON COUNTY — A vacation weekend ended badly for a St. George family Sunday when a gust of wind detached a camping trailer and a utility trailer from behind their truck, causing the trailers to roll and become virtual destroyed on southbound Interstate 15 between milepost 33 and 34.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers were in the process of searching for a different reported collision when they received a call just after 3 p.m. about the truck and trailers in the median, UHP Trooper Taj Eldredge said.

Wind gusts cause two trailers to rollover on southbound Interstate 15 near milepost 34, Washington County, Utah, July 26, 2015 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News
Wind gusts cause two trailers to rollover on southbound Interstate 15 near milepost 34, Washington County, Utah, July 26, 2015 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

The family said a gust of wind had sent the two trailers swerving, Eldredge said. When the driver tried to bring the trailers under control, they separated from the truck’s hitch.

While the camping trailer was destroyed, only minor damage was reported to the truck itself as well as an ATV that was being towed behind the camping trailer on a utility trailer.

The family was busy trying to salvage their belongings out of the camping trailer, loading the bed of the truck with what they had removed from the destroyed trailer. The damaged ATV was placed on another vehicle for transport back to St. George.

No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, Eldredge said.

The left freeway lane was blocked for some time until workers could move the debris from the wreck into the median. Southbound traffic along I-15 was slowed for about 45 minutes.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scene, as well as Leeds Fire and Rescue and Utah Department of Transportation.

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, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

 

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11 Comments

  • ladybugavenger July 26, 2015 at 8:15 pm

    What???? Are you sure if wasn’t drousy driving?

  • voice of reason July 26, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    Allowing non-commercial drivers to pull double trailers is a recipe for disaster.
    Allowing commercial drivers to pull triples is moronic as well.

  • sagemoon July 27, 2015 at 9:08 am

    I drove past this accident and am glad to hear it looked worse than it was due to no injuries. I think I see my car in one of the photos. Me and that beautiful white Porsche were highway buddies for quite a while.

  • indy-vfr July 27, 2015 at 10:39 am

    I’ve experienced something like this with a pickup camper being hit by near tornadic wind. I do wonder how fast he was traveling? Probably 80 mph.

  • SteveSGU July 27, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    Were they passing people in the left lane going too fast down the Black Ridge? Why is there no report about the police investigating whether this driver was driving unsafely?

    • fun bag July 27, 2015 at 12:49 pm

      well, since normal speed is 85mph, “too fast” would have to be at least 95 right?

  • wilbur July 27, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    looks like it’s a little too late to trade in that camper for a toy-hauler version.

    • fun bag July 27, 2015 at 12:50 pm

      a little tlc and some fresh paint it’ll look brand new

  • fun bag July 27, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    amazing all it takes is one dumba** to close the interstate for hours…

  • Ron July 27, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    That trailer is a homemade piece of junk. Wind should not do this. All trailers are built to no safety standard. Go to dangeroustrailets Dot org

  • Free Parking July 28, 2015 at 4:59 am

    I hope the weeds and wild grass survive and I hope the road surface wasn’t damaged

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