‘Altercation with a tree’ severely damages car, injures driver

Written by Ric Wayman
August 22, 2017

ST. GEORGE — A red Toyota sedan sat disabled in a parking lot on South River Road just after 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning after the driver hit a tree.

L-R St. George Police officers Andy Mickelson and Jeremy Needles discuss the wrecked Toyota on River Road Tuesday morning, St. George, Utah, Aug. 22, 2017 | Photo by Mike Cole, St. George News

The driver of the Toyota was traveling south on River Road and said a truck pulled in front of him near the area of 3950 South, causing him to lose control of his vehicle, said St. George Police Officer Andy Mickelson.

“(The driver) said he moved to the left,” Mickelson said, “The vehicle drifted across northbound lanes, getting into an altercation with a tree, and ending up in a parking lot.”

The car apparently hit the tree, Mickelson said, sliding over a block wall and coming to rest in the parking lot about 5 feet from other cars in the lot.

“The driver was somewhat injured but was not transported,” Mickelson said. “A citation was issued for a few misdemeanor violations.”

Mickelson went on to say those violations were failure to install an interlock device, revoked driver’s license and unsafe lane travel. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

St. George Police and Fire departments responded to the scene.

This report is based on personal observation and 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, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

"I wrote my first word when I was very young. I enjoyed this so much I decided to write many more words." A native of Pacific Palisades, Calif., Ric was bitten by the news bug as a staff writer and associate editor of the Palisades High School Tideline. After school he entered the media as a radio personality, both playing music and reporting news. Ric moved to St. George in the 1980s and was the morning personality on all three major AM stations in town. An avid amateur radio operator, Ric is looking for a good band to play in, as he plays keyboards, bass and guitar. Ric, who currently is working on developing a lifestyle that doesn't require his presence, lives in the center of St. George with his partner Terri, two snoring dogs and too many neurotic cats.

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4 Comments

  • Rob83 August 22, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Wow, perhaps there is a reason you have revoked license? Stay off our roads dude!

  • comments August 22, 2017 at 2:23 pm

    Don’t worry folks, he had good insurance. He’ll be in a new car and back on the road in no time. Hammer down!

  • Doug Gan August 23, 2017 at 6:47 am

    Please…if you are going to be a reporter, understand the words you use. A car cannot have an ‘altercation’ with a tree. Here is the definition of “Altercation”:
    al·ter·ca·tion
    noun
    a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public.

    • Avatar photo Paul Dail August 23, 2017 at 9:29 am

      Doug, thank for your comment. We are very careful about anthropomorphizing at St. George News. Per the article, the use of “altercation” came from the police officer quoted in the story. That’s also why we put it in quotation marks in the headline.

      Hope that clears it up a little.

      Thanks for reading St. George News.

      Paul Dail
      ST. GEORGE NEWS
      Editor, Reporter

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