Fender bender near St. George hospital yields lesson to be learned, police say

Written by Nick Yamashita
June 27, 2023

ST. GEORGE — A fender bender vehicle collision that occurred adjacent to St. George Regional Hospital on Tuesday afternoon served as a lesson to others, authorities say.

Scene of two-vehicle crash near St. George Regional Hospital Tuesday afternoon, St. George, Utah, June 27, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

St. George Police Officer David McDaniel said even though a minor two-vehicle collision occurred at about 3:20 p.m. on Medical Center Drive, McDaniel said the lesson to be learned is for people to be aware of everything around them while driving, not just the green light.

“Remember when you see the light turn green, make sure the car in front of you is moving,” McDaniel said.

The incident occurred after a green Dodge Ram Truck rear-ended a tan Toyota Sienna van. Both vehicles were stopped at the light, and when the light turned green, the van moved forward but had to stop again for the car in front of it, police said.

The adult woman in the Ram truck accelerated and collided with the back of the van, bending in the rear door of the van.

The crash occurred in the immediate vicinity of St. George Regional Hospital at the intersection of River Road and Medical Center Drive. An ambulance came upon the scene first and radioed it in, McDaniel said, so no 911 call was needed.

McDaniel said the woman in the truck with Utah plates was following too close to the van, which included a family on vacation from California as the occupants. She was cited for that traffic infraction.

First responders checked over one child in the van as a precaution. No other injuries were reported, and all were wearing seatbelts.

The van received a moderate dent on the rear while there was no apparent damage to the truck. Both vehicles were driven from the scene.

McDaniel said police have been very busy lately responding to vehicle crashes that could have been avoided.

“It is really, really bad. I write tickets all day long,” he added. “People are too into their phones and if it’s not their phones, they’re too into what they are doing and not (focusing) on driving.”

This report is based on statements from police and first responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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