The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — A car on northbound Interstate 15 spun out of control Saturday afternoon and ended up in the median just north of the Southern Parkway interchange after colliding with a passing semitractor.
Shortly before 1:30 p.m., witnesses called 911 to report a possible drowsy or otherwise impaired driver on northbound I-15 in Arizona who was said to be having trouble staying in their lane and was driving recklessly, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper James Jessop said.
“The vehicle almost lost control several times and even into Utah he (the driver) was all over his lanes, swinging back and forth until he hit a semitruck and spun out of control and ended up in the median,” Jessop said.
The car had spun into the median and came to a stop with the front of it facing south. The front driver-side corner of the car was also damaged from the impact with the passing semi.
The car was eventually towed from the scene.
While the issuance of a citation to the driver for the incident was likely, Jessop said, law enforcement on the ground had yet to determine if the driver, a man who appeared to be in his early to mid-20s, was impaired or not.
No injuries were reported in connection with the collision, nor was traffic blocked by the incident. Traffic passing by the scene nonetheless slowed at times as motorists either slowed down to gawk at the crash or safely passed by the public safety vehicles they saw parked along the roadside.
Units from the St. George Police and Fire departments and Washington County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the incident.
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The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The aftermath of a collision with a passing semitractor that put the passenger car into a spin that ended in the median. Witnesses told responding police that the driver had been driving like he was either drowsy or otherwise impaired prior to the collision, St. George, Utah, June 13, 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.