SANTA CLARA — An 85-year-old man was not injured when he drove his car onto a four-foot pile of gravel on Pioneer Parkway near 400 East early Sunday morning.
Santa Clara-Ivins Police officer Jessica Russell said the driver told her he didn’t see the pile, possibly because of glare from the sun.
The driver told St. George News his 1985 Buick didn’t have a scratch on it until the accident.
Santa Clara-Ivins Fire Department first responders were called to the scene around 9 a.m.
The gravel pile was one of several along the parkway. A firefighter said the gravel was dumped there late last week.
Santa Clara City Manager Edward Dickie said the gravel was dumped on the road without a permit and city crews were removing the gravel.
No citation was issued.
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No citation was issued? hmm… The next gravel pile ol’ granddaddy doesn’t see may actually not even be a gravel pile at all–it may very well be a group of schoolchildren crossing the street. Keep that license till the day you die and drive like hell, granddaddy.
Maybe he was attempting a jump but didn’t have enough speed. No citation because the gravel pile was unauthorized. Maybe gramps will get a new Lacrosse for his adventure.
Some old drivers are just selfish. When it’s time, it’s time.
I’ll bet those orange cones are the Fire Dept’s and were placed after they arrived.
Any construction work or materials stockpiled in public roads need a permit. Permit requires insurance and proper traffic control to provide information and safety to traveling public.
More people need to hit these piles of gravel and sue these folks. Then we would have less fly by night landscape contractors around here cluttering up road sides without warning signs, etc….
I agree, those are reflectorized cones used by FD/PD agencies. It appears from the photo that there is one cone that is carried by many contractors. If this gravel was placed in the roadway without a permit, the driver of the Buick has legal recourse. Santa Clara City and the contractor are liable.
“A firefighter said the gravel was dumped there late last week. Santa Clara City Manager Edward Dickie said the gravel was dumped on the road without a permit and city crews were removing the gravel.”
Maybe ol’ grand pappy was actually trying to jump the gravel pile and get airborne–maybe looking for some kind of thrill.
LAST DAYS is right. Old guy could also sue as well. In regards to an older person being selfish, simply that is not the case as they are in the forest, so to speak and not above the trees. Unless you’ve been there yourself it is up to the immediate family to take the keys away. It’s not an easy thing to do and can be very emotionally straining.
Tell that to the victims of wrong way confused drivers, and the good old “medical episode” ones. The bottom line is these older drivers simply need to be tested.
Well illegal dumped gravel. But a pile that high..85 yrs old. Did he have glasses on..? I can,t believe it, what about speed seeing he climbed the pile with the ol clunker
Old clunker? Read it again and make an appointment with Zion Eye Center.
Can’t blame texting on this one…
easy now, that aint no clunker–that’s a 1985 buick in mint condition. I mean it was. If this ol’ timer could sue for sentimental value he’d prob get millions of dollars. This amazing car may have been destined for a museum! I don’t think we need to worry tho–this old-timer will be back on the road in no time. He’ll probably upgrade the buick to a brand new RAM HEAVY DUTY 4×4 diesel pickup. Next time he RAMS into a gravel pile he’ll have the last laugh. At 85, he owes himself a brand new RAM HEAVY DUTY DIESEL 4×4. IT DOESN’T EVEN MATTER THAT HE’S LIKELY NOT EVEN FIT TO DRIVE ANYMORE–RAM HEAVY DUTY will be his destiny. 😉
Gee… post after post hating on Ram Heavy Duty Trucks… You bigoted against Trucks now, too?
Why do I have the urge to buy a new RAM HEAVY DUTY DIESEL 4×4 all of the sudden….
Very easy to see how this happened if you drive this road. The road widens as you enter this area and the natural flow puts you right where the piles of rocks are. The faded center line is the only indicator of the travel portion as there is no right hand lane line. I drove by the piles Saturday morning about 11:00 and thought that wasn’t a good place to put them especially without any barriers or cones.
He should file a claim in civil court. I about did the same thing on the road that leads to the Hidden Valley Park, there is a huge pile of pepples there too. Why all the pepples!? Why no cones or caution signs!? How and who is responsible for putting these piles out there?