Dixie High School student cited for 3-vehicle crash in campus parking lot

ST. GEORGE — St. George police responded to a car crash in the back parking lot of Dixie High School shortly after noon Wednesday afternoon.

St. George Police Officer Tiffany Atkin said a silver Volkswagen Jetta, driven by a male student, entered into the access lane of the parking lot then sped around a car in front of him.

At a high rate of speed, he failed to make the turn into the parking lot, jumping a small curb and crashing into a parked Pontiac Vibe, which caused a chain reaction that also damaged a parked Jeep Grand Cherokee in the adjacent parking spot.

Both the Pontiac and Volkswagon had to be towed from the scene. Although the Jeep suffered serious damage along the driver’s side of the vehicle, it was in driveable condition.

There were two other male students occupying the Volkswagon at the time of the crash. All three boys were seniors at the high school.

The driver of the Volkswagon was cited for reckless driving. Although the airbag deployed in the Jetta, there were no injuries.

A car crash at Dixie High School severely damaged two cars that had to be towed. A third, a black Jeep Grand Cherokee was in good enough condition to be driven away. St. George, Utah, Feb. 26, 2020 | Photo by David Louis, St. George News

“This crash where they had the space to create speed was a contributing factor,” Atkin said. “You have new drivers, teenage kids, and with that comes inexperience.”

This crash was viewed by student onlookers, parents who arrived following the accident and first responders as a teachable moment.

“Let’s slow down, especially in parking lots,” Atkin said. “Parking lots are dangerous. If you think about it, there are people walking and cars pulling in and backing out. It is so important to watch your speed.”

Atkin added the incident could have been much worse had it happened at the end of the lunch period when students were on campus.

Jamie Alldredge, the mother of Jordan Matthews, a senior who dives the Jeep that was damaged, was thankful nobody was hurt.

Matthews is a member of the school’s basketball team, the Dixie Flyers, which were Region 9 champs this year and are currently playing as the No. 2 seed in Class 4A at the Utah State Tournament at Weber State University in Ogden.

Matthews was about to make the trip to Ogden at the time of the crash, and, while his Jeep is driveable, it will not be making the trip north. However, Alldredge confirmed that her son would still be at the game.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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