Man injured after ‘sticky’ steering wheel causes car to mash into guardrail

A guardrail and a Saturn sedan are damaged after a crash on state Route 18 in St. George, Utah, May 21, 2018 | Photo by Spencer Ricks, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A man was injured and taken to the hospital after crashing into a guardrail on state Route 18 in St. George Monday.

St. George Police officer Andy Mickelson inspects a car that was damaged after smashing into a guardrail on state Route 18 in St. George, Utah, May 21, 2018 | Photo by Spencer Ricks, St. George News

The 24-year-old driver was coming around a steep bend while heading south near milepost 5 when the steering wheel in his Saturn sedan had some trouble, St. George Police officer Andy Mickelson said.

“His steering was sticky,” Mickelson said.

The car smashed into the guardrail on the right side of the road, causing the guardrail to curl up like a scroll from the impact. The speed limit on that section of state Route 18 is 55 mph.

Airbags were deployed and the man was taken to the hospital by a Gold Cross Ambulance with unknown injuries, Mickelson said. He was responsive and talking when police arrived at the scene.

Mickelson said a citation was unlikely to be issued in this case. The sedan was towed away from the scene.

The St. George Fire Department, Utah Highway Patrol and a Utah Department of Transportation incident management team responded to the scene.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter:  @STGnews | @SpencerRicks

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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8 Comments

  • utahdiablo May 21, 2018 at 9:25 pm

    Too much Jamba juice?

  • xbcmc059 May 21, 2018 at 10:48 pm

    I guessin’ Baby Batter.

  • comments May 21, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    tried to lubricate the bushings for the steering with cotton candy

  • paul May 22, 2018 at 7:33 am

    Hmmmmmm sounds like sticky fingers stuck to the phone

    • comments May 22, 2018 at 10:34 am

      that’s a conclusion I’d normally jump to, but this being a Saturn I’ll hold off on that assumption.

  • Mike P May 22, 2018 at 10:33 am

    The old “Sticky Steering Wheel” excuse. This one has to go in the book of silliest excuses. Along will all the idiots who turn left in front of you and there excuse is “DUH”

  • tazzman May 22, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    And then we wonder why bad drivers persist in STG. No consequences. Oh officer, I had a sticky steering wheel. No problem son.

    What a joke.

  • John May 23, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    Don’t worry! Legal pot will make this all better! hahahaha!

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