CEDAR CITY — A man was arrested early Thursday morning on several charges after reportedly crashing his vehicle into the back of a semitractor-trailer on Interstate 15.
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Bambi Baie told Cedar City News there was a witness to the crash who noticed a yellow Jeep weaving and speeding on southbound I-15.
“They were doing 83 and he flew past them,” Baie said. “The reporting person also stated that she noticed the vehicle was weaving and thought they were probably impaired.”
Baie said the Jeep collided with a United Parcel Service semi after passing the witness.
“They pulled away so fast and then about two or three miles down the road they rear-ended a UPS semi-truck,” Baie said.
The witness stopped to render aid and alert authorities to the crash and informed troopers about the smell of alcohol in the Jeep.
Baie said the investigating officer also noted signs of impairment.
“He observed clues of impairment, he smelled the odor of alcohol,” Baie said.
The driver’s three children were in the Jeep at the time of the crash, ages 7, 5 and one and a half. Baie said they were transported to the hospital for minor injuries and released to the Division of Child and Family Services.
“There were three small children in the vehicle that were his children,” Baie said. “He was the only adult and the fact that they were endangered, DCFS got involved. The children were released from the hospital into the custody of DCFS.”
Baie the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and the children were not properly restrained in the vehicle either.
“One of them was not seat belted; one of them required a booster seat and was not in a booster seat,” Baie said.
The driver did not sustain any injuries and was booked into the Iron County Jail on several charges, including driving under the influence, personal injury, child endangerment, an open container and no child restraints.
This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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