3 ejected, 1 pregnant passenger killed in rollover on Beryl Highway

File photo of Dodge Ram pickup truck destroyed in rollover crash on North Beryl Highway that left a passenger dead, Iron County, Utah, Oct. 15, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A pregnant woman was killed in a rollover crash north of Enterprise in Iron County late Friday night, while two other occupants were transported to the hospital, one by helicopter, with serious injuries.

Tow truck responds to remove pickup from North Beryl Highway following a rollover that leaves a passenger dead, Iron County, Utah, Oct. 15, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Shortly before 11 p.m. officers and emergency personnel were dispatched to North Beryl Highway on a single-vehicle rollover several miles north of the Beryl Junction involving a black Dodge pickup truck with an extended cab.

As responders were making their way to the scene, an Intermountain Life Flight helicopter was also launched due to the seriousness of the crash.

Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter told St. George News that all three occupants, including the driver, his 18-year-old wife and front seat passenger, along with the backseat passenger, were all ejected during the crash and were unresponsive.

Carpenter also said the teen traveling in the front, who was 7-months pregnant, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after responders arrived.

The second passenger was flown to Dixie Regional Medical Center still unresponsive and in critical condition, while the driver, who was initially found unresponsive, regained consciousness and was ground-transported to the hospital in serious condition.

Multiple agencies respond to a rollover crash on North Beryl Highway in Iron County, Utah, Oct. 15, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

At the time of the crash, the pickup was heading south on Beryl Highway when the driver was unable to negotiate a sharp curve and lost control of the pickup that careened off the roadway.

Once the truck left the roadway, Carpenter said, the vehicle struck several berms and rolled multiple times, causing the unrestrained occupants to be ejected from the pickup.

Carpenter went on to say the investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, but from the preliminary information they have gathered so far, it appears the truck was likely traveling at a high rate of speed when it encountered the sharp curve, preventing the driver from keeping the pickup on the highway.

Once it left the roadway, he said, the rough terrain combined with speed sent the pickup rolling for more than 100 yards, he said, and the fact that all three occupants were ejected also played a primary role in the extensive injuries responders found at the scene.

The Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Beryl Fire Department, Enterprise Fire Department, Gold Cross Ambulance and Intermountain Life Flight Responded and tended to the scene.

This report is based on statements from police, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.  

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!