Motorcyclist critically injured after crashing into black cow on road near Milford

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CEDAR CITY — Two motorcyclists were injured, one critically, when one of the riders struck a cow in the road in Beaver County on Monday night.

Beaver County Sheriff’s Cpl. Jennifer Stoddard said the two riders were both men in their early 40s, one of whom was visiting from out of state and the other who was from Saratoga Springs.

Stoddard said the men were in the process of taking a multi-day loop ride throughout the state, with plans to stay in Cedar City for the night. They were heading south on state Route 257 between the towns of Hinckley and Milford, when the crash happened at around 8:30 p.m. at a location approximately8 miles north of Milford.

Stoddard said the first rider, who was from Alabama, had been traveling at approximately 65 mph when he struck a black cow that had been standing in the middle of the roadway in the darkness.

The impact killed the cow and reportedly caused “significant” injuries to the motorcyclist. Meanwhile, the second rider laid down his bike in an effort to avoid colliding with the cow or hitting the other rider and his bike, Stoddard said.

The first rider was transported to St. George Regional Hospital for treatment of critical injuries, Stoddard told Cedar City News on Tuesday afternoon, adding that she did not have an update on the man’s condition.

The second rider’s injuries were not serious, Stoddard added, saying the man refused medical attention for himself. 

“He was more worried about his friend,” she said.

Utah Highway Patrol also responded to the incident, which occurred within the same time frame that multiple units from Beaver and neighboring counties, along with UHP troopers, were busy responding to a completely unrelated active shooter incident that closed a section of Interstate 15 for a time between Fillmore and Beaver.

The man suspected to have been involved in that incident ended up being taken into custody later that night and was booked into Beaver County Jail on Tuesday.

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.

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