SR-20 reopened in Iron County after beer truck overturns spilling Modelo

Written by Jeff Richards
August 4, 2023
Scene of a crash involving a semitractor-trailer loaded with cans of beer on SR-20, Iron County, Utah, Aug. 4, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Public Safety, St. George News / Cedar City News

IRON COUNTY — A semi-tractor and trailer loaded with cans of beer tipped over and spilled its load on state Route 20 on Friday.

Scene of a crash involving a semitractor-trailer loaded with cans of beer on SR-20, Iron County, Utah, Aug. 4, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Public Safety, St. George News / Cedar City News

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. David Bairett said the incident happened shortly before noon as the driver was heading westbound on SR-20 about five miles east of the Interstate 15 interchange at Exit 95.

“He was going too fast for the corner, started to tip over and the load shifted,” Bairett said, adding that the truck skidded alongside the right guardrail for approximately 300 feet before stopping on its side and blocking the entire roadway.

“He spilled his load over several hundred feet and clear down off the hill,” Bairett said.

Photos taken by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper at the scene show the trailer ripped open and hundreds of cans of Modelo brand beer scattered on the ground.

“They’ll still be out there cleaning up for hours and hours,” Bairett told Cedar City News just after 2 p.m., by which time one lane of the road had reopened and traffic alternated through the scene.

Five hours later, just before 7 p.m., that the scene was completely cleared and the road was reopened in both directions, Utah Highway Patrol reported.

Although the driver wasn’t harmed in the crash, Bairett said the truck’s passenger was taken to a local medical facility for treatment of minor injuries.

The crash marked the second such incident in the same general area in as many days. Around 8 a.m. Thursday, a semi whose trailer was loaded with lumber rolled and spilled its load on northbound Interstate 15 near mile marker 98.

The driver in that incident also walked away with only minor injures, Bairett said. Traffic wasn’t as severely impacted in that case, as the vehicle and the spilled cargo overturned off the roadway.

This report is based on preliminary statements from law enforcement officials 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

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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