ST. GEORGE — Police say a driver who was waved into a parking lot by another driver drove straight into the path of an oncoming car, resulting in a T-bone collision Thursday evening.
St. George Police were dispatched around 3:33 p.m. to the scene of the collision involving a black 2011 Nissan Sentra and a white 2006 Mercedes passenger car on 2450 East just south of where it intersects with Red Cliffs Drive.
Northbound traffic on 2450 East was backed up and the Nissan was in the southbound lane waiting to turn left into the Deseret Industries parking lot.
A driver in the left turn lane stopped to make room for the Nissan to make the turn and waved the Nissan driver through just as the Mercedes was northbound toward Red Cliffs Drive, St. George Police Officer Jamison Hale said.
As the driver of the Nissan made the turn, it T-boned the Mercedes, Hales said.
See video in the media player top of this report.
The drivers of both cars complained of injury and were transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center for treatment.
No other occupants reported any injuries.
“Citation was given to the driver of the black 2011 Nissan Sentra for failure to yield on a left turn,” Hale said.
Incidents like these happen all too often, Hale said, when well-meaning drivers wave drivers into unsafe situations.
“People will do that all the time,” Hale said, “there will be backed up traffic and they’ll wave somebody to cross, but the problem is that the person that stops and waves them across – they don’t see what’s coming up next to them, and that happens quite a bit.”
After colliding with the Nissan, the Mercedes rolled back over rocks and bushes into a planter in the Deseret Industries parking lot.
Both cars sustained heavy damage and were towed away.
Northbound traffic on 2450 East was blocked for approximately 40 minutes while the scene of the crash was cleaned up by responders from St. George Fire Department.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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A Mercedes passenger car is damaged following a collision on 2450 East, St. George, Utah, April 27, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on 2450 East, St. George, Utah, April 27, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
A Nissan Sentra is damaged following a collision on 2450 East, St. George, Utah, April 27, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
A Mercedes passenger car is towed away following a collision on 2450 East, St. George, Utah, April 27, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a collision on 2450 East, St. George, Utah, April 27, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
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People around here need to stop driving kindly and start driving SAFELY.
I’ve been beckoned by other drivers into oncoming traffic more than a few times–waving me on like I’m some kind of dog “come here boy, come on, come on boy”. You got to learn to ignore them. People are idiots first and foremost, so don’t ever trust other driver’s hand gestures. Remind yourself that you’re not a dog, and u will not obey at specific hand gestures of idiots. Yea, and when idiots wave you into oncoming traffic it makes u wanna smack them upside the head. Live and learn (or don’t learn and get in crashes, lol)
It seems to me, that the “Helpful Henry,” was the direct cause of this accident. And while that individual was not cited, I hope that both drivers in the crash sue the heck out of him/her.