PAROWAN — The driver of a semi tractor-trailer was airlifted to the hospital after his vehicle went off the roadway on the opposite side of Interstate 15 and crashed on Wednesday morning.

The driver later died from his injuries, Utah Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday morning.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Mackelprang said the incident happened around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday a short distance south of Interstate 15’s Exit 78 in Parowan.

“The semi truck and an unidentified passenger car were southbound on I-15,” Mackelprang told Cedar City News at the scene. “According to a witness, the passenger car cut the semi off and he was forced to take evasive action.”

The semi left the southbound lanes and went into the median before crossing both northbound lanes and ultimately crashing into a wire fence that borders an adjacent agricultural property

“We believe that his seat belt either wasn’t worn or was improperly worn, and he got tossed around in the cab,” Mackelprang said about the driver. 

An Intermountain Life Flight helicopter crew later transported the semi driver to St. George Regional Hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.

Meanwhile, the driver of the car that allegedly cut off the semi did not stop at the scene.

“We don’t have a whole lot to work with on that,” Mackelprang said. “We’re going to try and do some follow up and see if we can get it identified but we don’t have a whole lot right now to go on.”

Both the semi truck and its trailer sustained damage and needed to be towed from the scene. The trailer’s load of frozen meat appeared to be salvageable, as its refrigeration unit was still operating after the crash.

“We are also getting the fences taken care of so we don’t have livestock issues,” Mackelprang added.

This report is based on preliminary statements from law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

Thursday morning, Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Randy Riches confirmed that the driver passed away at the hospital late Wednesday night but added that the man’s identity would probably not be released until sometime on Friday.

Friday afternoon, Utah Highway Patrol officials identified deceased driver as Kayed Asad Ezzat Masoud, 60, of Boise, Idaho.

Updated Sept. 28, 8:20 a.m. to indicate that the driver later died from his injuries.

Updated Sept. 29, 2:05 p.m. to include the driver’s name, age and home town, as released by Utah Highway Patrol.

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