Crash involving 4 SUVs closes Bluff Street for over an hour in St. George

ST. GEORGE — A crash involving four sports utility vehicles sent three people to the hospital and forced the closure of both sides of Bluff Street between blocks 500 and 600 for more than an hour early Thursday afternoon.

Before police and fire  crews arrived, a group of good samaritans aid passengers of a GMC Envoy at the scene of a four-vehicle crash on Bluff Street between 500 and 600 South, St. George, Utah, March 30, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Update March 30, 4 p.m. Additional details added including preliminary investigation and Bluff Street fully reopened. Video and additional photos added.

St. George Police officer Forrest Vanwest looked at the aftermath of the crash — a tire and debris strewn across a closed Bluff Street. Without the traffic, it was unusually quiet, save for the voices of the first responders. All airbags were deployed in the three most-damaged vehicles. Among the combined six people in the four vehicles, two were severely injured but still able to speak with the rescuers. 

As he walked away, even while still trying to piece together the cause of the crash, Vanwest was able to come to a quick conclusion. “Hey, seat belts save lives,” he said. 

The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. and involved a black GMC Envoy with two aboard, a silver-white Ford Edge with two passengers and a white Toyota Highlander that rested about 50 yards from the other two vehicles with a driver as its only passenger. During the crash, a tire came off one of the vehicles, rolled and hit a fourth vehicle, a white SUV, officer Tiffany Mitchell with St. George Police said.

Mitchell also took note that the use of safety equipment and some defensive driving prevented more and worse injuries. 

“The seat belts, the airbags, driving aware, driving ahead of yourself, not driving distracted, so you’re paying attention … you just never know,” Mitchell said. “ I mean, I’m sure these two white cars never thought that they’re gonna get hit today. We just don’t know when it’s going to happen.”

First responders work to extract passenger of Ford Edge at the scene of a four-vehicle crash on Bluff Street between 500 and 600 South, St. George, Utah, March 30, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Both sides of Bluff remained closed until 1:50 p.m. Even then, the southbound side remained backed up for a good distance through the next 45 minutes as street sweepers continued to remove debris.

St. George police and fire units as well as Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene. But as they arrived, several residents and onlookers were already working to help those in the vehicles. Among the injured was the driver of the Envoy, from which smoke or water vapor from the radiator appeared.

Patty Deboer, visiting from Indiana, was in the vehicle right behind the four others as the crash happened. She said she saw the Highlander flip over several times – something confirmed by officers. 

But she said she was also amazed by the number of people who came out to help just as the sirens of police and rescue vehicles could be heard. 

“Right away, so many people stopped to help,” Deboer said. “It was amazing.”

Added Mitchell about the good Samaritans on the scene: “Oh my gosh, right? We have a great community. That is what makes St. George amazing is that when people need help, everyone drops what they have and they get after it.”

Teenage passenger of GMC Envoy looks on as rescuers work to free the driver at the scene of a four-vehicle crash on Bluff Street between 500 and 600 South, St. George, Utah, March 30, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

With fire and police vehicles on scene, several first responders could be seen simultaneously working to help those in the two vehicles closest to 500 South and also aiding those in the other vehicles nearly a block away closer to 600 South. 

Jaws of Life were used to remove the driver from the Envoy and the passenger from the Edge. Officers said both had severe injuries and were taken out by flatboards to waiting ambulances for trips to St. George Regional Hospital.

As the passenger was taken out of the Edge, responders could be heard saying, “You’re all right. You’re alive.” After the door was removed, there was the unusual sight of clean-up crews placing a passenger-side door of a Ford Edge in its trunk.

The driver of the Highlander exited on her own still had minor to moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, officers said. No one else, including the driver of the Edge, was injured.

Airbags deployed in every vehicle except for the SUV, which was drivable. The other three vehicles were too damaged and had to be towed away.

While the crash investigation continued from the accounts of several witnesses at the scene, Mitchell said initially officers have determined the black Envoy was traveling northbound on Bluff approaching 500 South when for an unknown reason, the vehicle moved into the southbound lanes and hit the white Highlander traveling southbound.

Scene of a four-vehicle crash on Bluff Street between 500 and 600 South, St. George, Utah, March 30, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

“Whether he was trying to pass a car in the turn lane or for some reason, he came into the southbound lanes,” Mitchell said.

The Highlander was hit hard enough to flip several times before coming to rest upright near the corner of 600 South.

A tire came off either the Envoy or the Highlander and hit a fourth white SUV, causing minimal damage. A tire could be seen resting in the middle of Bluff Street. The front driver-side tire and rim were missing from the Envoy while the rear driver-side tire was missing from the Highlander. A tire and rim could be seen wedged under the back of the Toyota, though it was unclear if it was a spare. 

After colliding with the Highlander,  the Envoy continued north in the southbound lane and hit the silver-white Edge head-on, police said. 

It’s unclear if there will be any citations or charges in the crash as the investigation is continuing. While two had severe enough injuries to need flatboards and neck braces, it’s unclear the extent of those injuries.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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