ST. GEORGE — The driver of an off-road utility task vehicle suffered a severe arm injury when the vehicle rolled at Sand Mountain late Saturday night, authorities said.
Lt. Regan Wilson of Utah State Parks said the injured driver was a 47-year-old man from Texas who was operating a side-by-side UTV about 11 p.m. when the vehicle rolled in the Competition Hill area west of Sand Hollow Reservoir.
Other people who were in the area were able to render assistance and call 911. State park rangers responded to the scene and were able to stabilize the man and get him safely off the trail. He was later transported via ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Wilson said if the man had been completely by himself so late in the evening, he may not have been able to receive timely medical attention.
“I believe he was lucky to have somebody out there that was able to help him out at that hour,” Wilson said, adding that the darkness of night often makes it more difficult to safely navigate trails.
“It’s a different story when you’re up there driving those trails up at night compared to what it’s like in the day,” Wilson said.
Wilson urged state parks users to exercise caution when participating in recreational activities and operating motorized equipment.
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