Police: Change in air current from passing semi causes pickup driver to lose control, tip on I-15

Scene of a crash on Interstate 15 involving a pickup truck and travel trailer near Kanarraville, Iron County, Utah, Oct. 12, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

IRON COUNTY — A pickup truck pulling a travel trailer tipped over in the middle of Interstate 15 Monday afternoon, causing minor injuries to both of the vehicle’s occupants.

Scene of a crash on Interstate 15 involving a pickup truck and travel trailer near Kanarraville, Iron County, Utah, Oct. 12, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Randy Riches said the crash occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. on the southbound side of I-15, just before the Kanarraville rest area exit at mile marker 45.

Riches said the driver of the white Ford pickup truck had just moved into the fast lane and had started to pass a semitractor-trailer when the incident occurred.

“While the pickup was passing the semi, the change in air current from the semi caused the trailer to begin fishtailing,” Riches told Cedar City News. “They lost control, leaving the roadway to the left and striking a guardrail.”

The impact from the guardrail then caused both truck and trailer to tip over, with the vehicle eventually coming to rest on its passenger side in the middle of the roadway and facing the opposite direction it had been heading.

Scene of a crash on Interstate 15 involving a pickup truck and travel trailer near Kanarraville, Iron County, Utah, Oct. 12, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

Both of the truck’s occupants, who had been wearing their seatbelts, sustained only minor injuries. Neither was transported for medical treatment, Riches added. No other vehicles were involved.

Traffic in the area was impacted for approximately one hour while the scene was cleared, with one of two southbound lanes on I-15 closed intermittently during that time.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

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

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