WASHINGTON CITY — A head-on crash on a dirt road in Washington City Sunday afternoon sent two men to the hospital — one with serious injuries. (see Ed. note)
Shortly after 4 p.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to the crash reported on a dirt power-line road off Main Street involving a dirt bike and a side-by-side utility task vehicle, with initial reports indicating there were serious injuries.
Intermountain Life Flight was also launched due to the serious nature of the crash.
Upon arrival, responders found that the rider of the dirt bike suffered a serious injury to his arm. He was quickly transported by ground ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George for evaluation and treatment, Washington City Police Chief Jim Keith told St. George News.
The driver of the side-by-side suffered a laceration in the crash and was also transported to the hospital by ambulance. His passenger reported no injuries.
Life Flight was cancelled shortly after responders arrived.
Meanwhile, the area was secured with police tape as several officers and detectives responded to the scene to conduct an accident investigation into the cause of the crash.
Preliminary findings revealed that at the time of the collision, the dirt bike and the side-by-side were traveling in opposite directions along the dirt road at “a pretty good speed” when they collided, Keith said.
“Both of them swerved and tried to get out of the way of each other,” he said, “but with the speed and the dirt road, they just weren’t able to.”
The force of the impact caused heavy damage to the dirt bike, which was virtually destroyed in the crash. The side-by-side sustained moderate damage.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing and no further information was released at the scene.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Ed. note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the day of the incident as Saturday.
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A dirt bike is extensively damaged and lies in pieces on the ground after an off-road crash near Main Street in Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Power-line dirt road near the scene of an off-road crash involving a side-by-side utility vehicle and dirt bike where a rider is seriously injured, Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Washington City Police investigate an off-road crash involving a side-by-side utility vehicle and dirt bike that seriously injured a rider, Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Gold Cross Ambulance transports a rider with a severe arm injury after a two-vehicle crash off Main Street in Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
A dirt bike is extensively damaged and lies in pieces on the ground after an off-road crash near Main Street in Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Green arrow depicts area where a two-vehicle crash took place on a dirt road off Main Street in Washington City, Utah, Dec. 9, 2018 | Image courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News
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The article said this happened on Saturday. Did you mean Sunday? I ask this because I heard a lot of sirens yesterday afternoon after 4 p.m. and I live fairly close to this crash site.
ToniB, thank you for your comment. You are correct that it was Sunday. That correction has been made.
Thanks again.
Paul Dail
Editor in chief