Luxury 2017 Audi a victim of crash as car carrier rolls

ST. GEORGE — Four cars, one a new 2017 luxury SUV, were badly damaged Wednesday as a car carrier rolled on the northbound Interstate 15 ramp from St. George Boulevard.

A trooper inspects the cab of a truck that rolled after the driver lost control on the I-15 on-ramp. St. George, Utah, Feb. 1, 2017 | Photo by Mike Cole, St. Gorge News

Just before 12:45 p.m. the call was received that a wreck had occurred on the ramp. When troopers, officers, and firefighters arrived, they found a Dodge Ram 5500 truck on its passenger side. It had been towing a car carrier loaded with a Honda minivan, a Mercury minivan, and a new 2017 Audi SUV.

“It came around the turn,” Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze said. “Flipped over onto its side, and skidded across the road kind of going over the concrete median.”

The wreck was partially blocking the northbound on-ramp to I-15. The driver was not injured in the mishap.

The aftermath of a truck and car carrier rolling on an I-15 on-ramp. St. George, Utah, February 1, 2017 | Photo by Mike Cole, St. George News
“As for the factor of what caused it,” Hintze said, “we’re looking at speed being a little bit quick coming around that corner with the heavy load that he had.”
Hintze said the carrier was “a little bit top heavy” as it was carrying the vehicles.

Hintze said a citation would probably be issued to the driver for “speed to fast for the condtions,” the “conditions” being the weight of the carrier.

The trooper said the Honda and Mercury on the carrier were headed to a wholesaler up north. The Audi was scheduled for delivery to a customer upon arrival; there was a “Sold” sign in the windshield.

Units from the Utah Highway Patrol, St. George Police and Fire departments and Utah Department of Transportation responded to the scene. The on-ramp was partially blocked for over two hours while crews righted the truck and trailer, investigated and cleaned up.

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

A car carrier sits on its side on the northbound on-ramp to I-15 Wednesday after the driver lost control on the curve and the truck and trailer flopped onto the right side. St. George, Utah, Feb. 1, 2017 | Photo by Mike Cole, St. George News

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3 Comments

  • comments February 1, 2017 at 6:43 pm

    I’m wondering if this trailer setup was ever designed and built to carry autos in the first place. It’s an expensive lesson. at least no injuries

  • indy-vfr February 1, 2017 at 9:56 pm

    too

  • comments February 2, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    I’d say extremely top-heavy. Looks like the Audi was basically riding at the roof line of the pickup.

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