ST. GEORGE — On Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., a local man riding a 2004 Harley Davidson collided with the passenger side of a 2004 Chevrolet Classic as it turned left across his lane on South Green Springs Drive.
The Chevrolet, driven by a man in his early 20s with a female passenger (also in her early 20s), was heading to turn into the parking lot containing several restaurants and boutique stores, said Sgt. Tyrell Bangerter with the St. George Police Department.
“The driver of the car reported that sun glare played a factor in his ability to see – and we’re looking into that – but he made a left turn in front of the motorcycle,” Bangerter said. “The motorcyclist attempted to stop, then struck the rear passenger door and fender. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but was unconscious and not breathing on scene.”
An off-duty EMT was reportedly one of the first to respond, and she administered CPR until paramedics with Gold Cross Ambulance arrived. The mid-40s man, whose identity has not been released, was transported to St. George Regional Hospital where he died shortly thereafter, Bangerter said.
The collision occurred near the point where Green Springs Drive turns into 3050 East, right on the border between St. George and Washington City.
The man and woman in the other vehicle were uninjured, and police are conducting an investigation into the circumstances of the accident before deciding whether or not to issue any charges.
Bangerter said the area where the crash occurred is not particularly accident-prone, though the circumstances of the incident are all-too common.
“Anytime you’re making a left turn across lanes of travel, there’s significant potential for a collision,” Bangerter said. “You’re leaving your lane and crossing at least one, but typically two, lanes of travel going the opposite direction. Whether people don’t see or they misjudge speed or distance – we do get a lot of crashes involving left turns.”
Officers with the Washington City Police Department, Dixie State University Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol and Utah Department of Transportation assisted St. George Police on the accident reconstruction team and with clearing the scene. The St. George Fire Department also responded, Bangerter said.
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, 2021, all rights reserved.