Wrong-way driver arrested following collision with semi on I-15 offramp in Cedar City

Wrecked Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at the scene of a collision on the I-15 Exit 59 offramp, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 10, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — A pickup truck driver was arrested early Wednesday following a wrong-way collision on an Interstate 15 offramp in Cedar City.

Wrecked Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at the scene of a collision on the I-15 Exit 59 offramp, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 10, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Mackelprang said the crash happened just before 12:45 a.m. and involved a semitractor-trailer and a newer model Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

Mackelprang said the semi driver had been heading northbound on I-15 and was in the process of taking the Exit 59 offramp when the semi was struck nearly head-on by the Chevrolet truck, which had been coming up the ramp in the opposite direction.

Neither driver was injured, Mackelprang said.

Mackelprang told Cedar City News that the responding trooper found the driver of the Silverado to be impaired, and the man was arrested for DUI.

Iron County Jail records indicate that Jeffrey Parker was booked at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and driving the wrong way on a one-way road.

Traffic was impacted for approximately 15 minutes while the scene was cleared, Mackelprang added. The Silverado sustained significant front-end and driver’s side damage and needed to be towed.

Unrelated crash on SR-56

Several hours later and just over one mile to the west, UHP troopers also responded to a two-car collision at the intersection of Lund Highway (3100 West) and state Route 56.

Mackelprang said that around 7:30 a.m., a second crash occurred involving a Honda passenger car and an SUV.

The Honda’s driver reportedly was turning left on a green turn arrow from 3100 West onto eastbound SR-56 when it was struck by the SUV, which was heading westbound.

“The SUV ran the red light and collided with the Honda Civic,” said Mackelprang, adding that the SUV driver received a citation for failing to stop at the red light.

“Very minor” injuries were reported and nobody was taken to the hospital, Mackelprang added.

This report is based on statements from court documents and law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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