ST. GEORGE — Two drivers were injured in a two-vehicle crash on River Road Friday that brought two ambulances and numerous officers and emergency personnel to the chaotic scene.
Shortly before 11 a.m. officers and emergency personnel responded to the intersection of Brigham Road and South River Road that involved a maroon 1990 Dodge Caravan and a white 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Officers found the vehicles sitting side-by-side facing west in the middle of the intersection, with traffic backing up in all directions as two Gold Cross Ambulances arrived on scene and began checking for injuries.
Multiple officers also responded to divert traffic as firefighters and EMTs cleared debris and tended to the injured.
The investigation into the crash revealed that the Dodge was headed north on River Road and, after approaching the intersection, the driver merged into the left-turn lane to head west on Brigham Road.
Meanwhile, the Jeep was heading south on River Road traveling at 35 mph in the outside lane just as the woman driving the Dodge pulled in front of her to make the left-hand turn, Hale said. The Jeep driver was unable to stop in time to avoid the crash and struck the Dodge on the passenger’s side.
The impact spun the two vehicles around in the intersection until both came to rest in the middle of the intersection facing Brigham Road.
St. George, Utah, Sept. 1, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
The Dodge driver’s infant was properly restrained in a rear-facing car seat on the passenger’s side of the van and was uninjured in the collision, Hale said.
“The baby was seated in a car seat behind the front passenger’s seat facing the rear,” Hale said, “which is correct for the age and size of the infant.”
The woman in the Dodge was treated at the scene for a possible arm fracture that was placed in a sling by paramedics, but declined transport to the hospital by ambulance and told officers she would go to the emergency room after she left the scene.
The driver of the Jeep complained of neck pain and was also treated at the scene, Hale said, and was being transported to the hospital by her husband.
The passenger side of the Dodge sustained extensive damage while the front of the Jeep was crushed during impact, and both vehicles were towed from the scene.
The driver of the Dodge was cited for failing to yield on a left-hand turn, the officer said.
Multiple officers and firefighters from the St. George Police Department and the St. George Fire Department responded and tended to the large scene. Gold Cross Ambulance responded with two ambulances and a field supervisor who remained on scene to assist.
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White Jeep and maroon Dodge sit side-by-side waiting for tow truck after two-vehicle crash on River Road Friday, St. George, Utah, Sept. 1, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Gold Cross field supervisor responds to large scene to assist multiple responders after two-vehicle crash on River Road Friday, St. George, Utah, Sept. 1, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
White Jeep is towed after two-vehicle crash on River Road Friday, St. George, Utah, Sept. 1, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Multiple responders and emergency personnel are dispatched to a two-vehicle crash on River Road Friday, St. George, Utah, Sept. 1, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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This intersection us a weekly uv nit daily spot for accidents… What can be done???drivers gave to judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic before crossing…
If Washington County in it’s infinite wisdom can put THREE schools in close proximity to each other on a heavily traveled road, they can step-up and add more traffic controls to limit the reckless driving. I’ve heard sirens every day since school started and almost T boned some little mommy with a car load of kids today because she was tired of
waiting to turn left out of the elementary
school. Limiting commercial traffic and a couple more lights would help in the long run, but the city/county needs to find out what the schools are doing differently to cause all the extra congestion NOW!
They need to extend the curb further out for vehicles turning onto Brigham from South River Road, this way you can tell they are locked in to making that turn. Many people make the turn without using their signal, and from the north angle it’s hard to judge whether they are going straight or are they going to turn on Brigham as the road has a slight curve right there. So many accidents have to happen before this intersection is made to be safe?