Police: Steel cables keep high driver from heading into oncoming traffic on I-15

BLOOMINGTON — A barrier of steel cables are all that kept a driver who was allegedly under the influence of marijuana from driving into oncoming traffic on southbound Interstate 15 Wednesday afternoon. 

A steel-cable barrier is all that kept a truck that swerved off northbound Interstate 15 from swerving into oncoming traffic on the southbound side Nov. 11, 2020 in St. George, Utah. | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

The single-vehicle crash disrupted traffic on I-15 in St. George near the Bloomington and Southern Parkway exits, where traffic slowed to a crawl for more than an hour leaving the left lane closed off for about an hour Wednesday afternoon. 

The red Toyota pickup truck with a truck topper and the words “A Rusted Development” written across the top of the windshield swerved off the northbound side of I-15, according to Utah Highway Patrol troopers that responded to the scene. 

Tracks could be seen leading off the northbound side through the weeds of the median going to the truck resting on the steel-cable barrier next to the left lane.

The front driver’s side wheel was wrapped over the cabling. 

Sgt. Larry Mower said the male driver of the pickup was dazed and confused coming out of the vehicle. 

“He’s out of it. He didn’t know he was even in a wreck,” Mower said of the sole passenger of the vehicle who otherwise did not appear to be injured. Gold Cross Ambulance still responded to the scene as a precaution. 

Tracks lead from the northbound side of Interstate 15 to the southbound side Nov. 11, 2020 in St. George, Utah. | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Officers said they then smelled a strong smell of marijuana in the vehicle. Mower said the driver was arrested for driving under the influence. The driver was also issued a breathalyzer test at the scene. 

It’s not the first time the cable barriers have prevented a larger disaster on Interstate 15. 

Earlier this year, the cable barriers kept another out-of-control driver from swerving into oncoming traffic on I-15 just a mile south of Wednesday’s incident.  

In 2016, cable barriers kept a truck whose tire had blown from colliding with a Utah Highway Patrol vehicle head-on. 

Mower, who was also on the scene of that 2016 incident, said without the cable barrier, it’s likely the truck would have collided head-on with another vehicle going south on I-15 Wednesday afternoon. 

“It’s a good thing these cable barriers are in the way,” he said. 

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

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