Wheelbarrow tumbles out of trailer, causes accident on I-15

The red Toyota Tacoma and trailer sit on the side of the road on Washington Parkway Exit off Interstate 15, Washington, Utah, Aug. 29, 2014 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

WASHINGTON CITY — A silver Toyota Corolla struck a wheelbarrow Friday morning while traveling southbound on Interstate 15 near the off-ramp to Washington Parkway.

On the way to work at approximately 8 a.m., a man was traveling southbound on I-15 near mile marker 13 in a red Toyota Tacoma that was pulling a trailer packed with landscaping equipment. At the same time, a silver Toyota Corolla, driven by a man also on his way to work, followed behind the truck about two car lengths back, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze said.

Just before the Washington Parkway Exit, a wheelbarrow tumbled off the trailer and into the road.

After being retrieved, the wheelbarrow sits on the side of the road on Washington Parkway Exit off Interstate 15, Utah, Aug. 29, 2014 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News
After being retrieved, the wheelbarrow sits on the side of the road on Washington Parkway Exit off Interstate 15, Utah, Aug. 29, 2014 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

“If my back window wouldn’t have been open, I wouldn’t have known it fell out,” the driver of the Tacoma said. “But I heard it. It slid across the road and almost made it to the median. I wish it had.”

The two vehicles traveling directly behind the truck missed the wheelbarrow, but the silver Corolla did not have enough time to dodge it and rammed into it, Hintze said. The driver of the Corolla was able to maintain control and immediately pulled off at the Washington Parkway Exit.

“I pulled over and sprinted toward the car,” the driver of the Tacoma said.

The driver of the Corolla suffered shoulder and neck injuries but refused transport to the hospital by Gold Cross Ambulance.

The Corolla sustained minimal damage and the driver was able to drive away from the scene.

The driver of the Tacoma was cited for cargo loss.

UHP slowed southbound traffic from Exit 9 for about 10 minutes while Trooper Matthew Pratt took photos and retrieved the wheelbarrow from the side of the road.

Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Matthew Pratt retrieves wheelbarrow from side of Interstate 15 near mile marker 13, Washington, Utah, Aug. 29, 2014 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Matthew Pratt retrieves wheelbarrow from side of Interstate 15 near mile marker 13, Washington, Utah, Aug. 29, 2014 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

“We get quite a few of these sort of accidents on the freeway where unsecured loads cause crashes — especially during holiday weekends when there is increased traffic,” Pratt said.

As a reminder, Pratt said those traveling during the holiday weekend need to remember to wear seat belts, drive appropriately for weather conditions, don’t drive drowsy, don’t drink and drive, properly secure loads and watch their speed.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by responders on scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

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29 Comments

  • Reader August 29, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    HOW DARE YOU HEARTLESS UHP PEOPLE CITE THIS MAN!
    It’s obvious he was out of his normal routine. Leave him be!
    This man is a good, consciencous driver that had a momentary lapse in judgement about securing his load. I’m sure he’s sorry and it’s not his fault this happened.
    I mean, it’s not like he KILLED someone, right?

    • tight magic undies August 29, 2014 at 5:27 pm

      So true, so true.

    • ladybugavenger August 31, 2014 at 1:26 pm

      Remember that defense only applies to April.

  • My Evil Twin August 29, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    I see it time and again. Contractors and others who are too dumb or too lazy to secure their loads. There is no excuse for it.
    In the first picture, a dog is also shown on the trailer, and apparently also unsecured. How many dogs do we have to kill before owners wake up. How many dogs have to cause fatal accidents until owners wake up.
    The driver of this Toyota is obviously an idiot. Unfortunately, he is in company with a whole lot of of other idiots here in Dixie. How can people be so darned stupid?

    • Robb Willie August 29, 2014 at 4:36 pm

      Actually, I think they should arrest the dog. …, he was back there with the wheelbarrow. Maybe he pushed it out. How many wheelbarrows have to die before we wake up People?!
      Ed. ellipsis.

  • Joanna August 29, 2014 at 12:59 pm

    Yikes, that could have ended a lot worse! Glad everyone’s ok. And I love the top photo of the dog resting comfortably in the back of the trailer.

  • Bobber Clone August 29, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    “That wheelbarrow should be put in jail and tried for attempted murder!! I’m sure it was a mormon wheelbarrow! Call it’s Bishop!” signed Bobber

    • Robb Willie August 29, 2014 at 4:29 pm

      Nicely done. Sounds like something the idiot would say.

  • Doug August 29, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    I hope the trooper cited the driver for not securing his load. This happens far too often, and there are laws related to it.

  • Lance August 29, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Momma Pratt should pull over these vehicles with unsecured loads more often instead of sitting down hills trying to catch the unwary speeding driver. Thanks for the safety caveats momma.

  • Koolaid August 29, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    C’mon Dixie guys! Show a little more intelligence with stowing your loads.

  • Randy August 29, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    Funny , on my way into work this morning I was following this guy, I pulled up to him at a light at N. Green Springs and Red Hills Parkway, I tried to tell him his wheelbarrow was moving on his trailer . He just put his hand up at me and drove off .

    • Mike Farrow August 29, 2014 at 4:11 pm

      Wow Randy you would think he would have heeded your warning considering it already had fallen off and caused an accident! SMH

  • Wilber August 29, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    UTard at work – great going’ (and notice the lack of trailer tailgate and that the trailer is not “packed)

  • Koolaid August 29, 2014 at 3:12 pm

    Get your minds off the horses and dogs and concentrate on driving and things you are carrying in your monster trucks. Carrying stuff around and dumping it on the interstate for others to crash into doesn’t make you worthy

  • indy-vfr August 29, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    Just another day on the roads in St George! Two weeks ago I had to dodge a ladder that came off a truck in the North bound lane. Glad I wasn’t on my motorcycle.

    • Commuter August 30, 2014 at 12:01 pm

      Agreed. I saw this happen and was actually running late because a flag flew off a westbound truck w/ ATV on state route 9 & hit MY car. Guess I got lucky that that’s all I hit…poor guy in the car. Hope he’s ok…

      • patient August 31, 2014 at 10:03 am

        2 car lengths behind going 75 mph makes him a dummy too.

        • TruckerRon September 6, 2014 at 5:23 pm

          Agreed! At that speed you should be at least 110 feet (distance you travel in 4 seconds) behind the vehicle in front of you, more if it’s a lighter, easier to stop vehicle (like a motorcycle) or if the road is wet or icy! Big rigs should keep twice that distance since they’re harder to stop.

  • JAR August 29, 2014 at 4:26 pm

    WOW! I think the commentators thus far need a long weekend. (i bet the news editor
    is thinking, ‘Yippee! I’m out of here for 3 days).

  • Robb Willie August 29, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    Wow. This warrants a news story? And all this commenter outrage. zzz. Fer cryin’ out loud, it’s the weekend! Go have fun!

  • bobber August 29, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    A lot of the fun down in dixie is had by be inappropriate with dogs and horses or by dropping random items onto the highway and waiting for “liberals” to crash into them… lmao

  • groanattack August 29, 2014 at 6:52 pm

    WOW! This town is full of stupid!

  • Ron Melancon August 29, 2014 at 7:41 pm

    In the County of Henrico they never enforce loose loads in fact they don’t even pull over defective homemade trailers like this on in the photos. Go to dangeroustrailers.org

  • bobber August 30, 2014 at 11:02 am

    Was this wheel barrow a worthy member? Did this wheel barrow have a temporary lapse in judgement? Is the dog in the trailer worthy? Has the owner been inappropriate with the dog? These are questions we may never have answers to…

  • Kentjax August 31, 2014 at 8:36 am

    I’m quite sure it GW Bush fault. Its only been 6 years since he left office, but it has to be his fault. It can’t be the driver, the dog or wheel barrel’s fault. It has to be the Corolla’s fault for being on the road or GW, since that’s the rule for our society and government now.

    • Char August 31, 2014 at 11:21 pm

      *thumbs up*

    • Country September 1, 2014 at 8:39 am

      Or Romney ‘s fault,because the family dog tied on top of the car, throwing up and crapping itself, but take it to a car wash and spray it off.

  • Koolaid August 31, 2014 at 1:08 pm

    It’s obvious he’s not a member of the worthy tithers. How do I know this? Obvious. If he was one of the worthy, it would have been a handcart, not a wheelbarrow, and he would’ve been pulling his handcart at 75mph along the interstate, not carrying in some trailer. However, there was a dog in the picture. So maybe, just maybe…

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