‘Thankfully she wasn’t in it’: Negligent driver triggers double impact, including side with car seat

This car seat was fortunately unoccupied when the vehicle it was in was involved in a two-vehicle collision on Tabernacle, Jan. 25, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — It was all hands on deck when a driver blew through a stop sign at the intersection of 300 West and Tabernacle and triggered a collision during lunch-time traffic Thursday.

Just before 1 p.m. emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash involving a silver Hyundai passenger car and a silver Toyota Rav4.

Silver Toyota Rav4 is extensively damaged and towed after two-vehicle crash on Tabernacle Street Thursday afternoon, St. George, Utah, Jan. 25, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

The Toyota was heading north on 300 West, St. George Police officer Stan Thompson said, and the driver failed to stop at the stop sign at South 300 West. (see Ed. Note)

He was struck by the eastbound Hyundai, which spun around and hit the Toyota again before coming to rest near the median. The Toyota stopped in the westbound lane facing east.

“The driver in the Toyota said he was unfamiliar with the streets and isn’t from the area, and he didn’t see the stop sign before he went through it,” Thompson said.

The drivers were checked for injuries but didn’t report any to emergency personnel.

A bystander traveling behind the Hyundai pulled to the side of the road to check on the drivers immediately after the crash. She told St. George News she was concerned when she saw an infant car seat through the rear window of the passenger car and wanted to make sure everyone was okay.

The woman driving the Hyundai said she had just left her residence a little more than 100 yards from where the crash occurred and that her two small children were at home with her husband when the collision occurred. He arrived minutes after the crash.

Silver Hyundai is towed from the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Tabernacle Street Thursday afternoon, St. George, Utah, Jan. 25, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

She also said her young daughter’s car seat is situated directly behind the driver’s seat and that she was grateful the children were home because the second impact hit that side of her vehicle.

“The car is all smashed where her car seat is,” she said. “Thankfully she wasn’t in it.”

The Hyundai driver’s father-in-law was a few blocks away getting lunch when the incident occurred and responded to the scene as well to check on the vehicle occupants.

“I’m just glad everyone is okay and that the kids weren’t in the car when it happened,” the father-in-law said.

Traffic was fairly heavy while responders cleared debris and removed the severely damaged vehicles from the roadway to open the westbound lane of Tabernacle, which had been blocked for more than 30 minutes.

Silver Hyundai is towed from the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Tabernacle Street Thursday afternoon, St. George, Utah, Jan. 25, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Meanwhile, St. George Police Chief, Marlon Stratton, responded and remained at the scene to redirect traffic away from the crash.

“I know, he’s out there directing traffic – he’s a champ,” Thompson said.

The man driving the Toyota was later cited for failing to stop at a stop sign. All occupants were wearing their seat belt at the time of the crash.

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

Ed. Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the primary officer cited in the story.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

 

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3 Comments

  • Lastdays January 26, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    She says ” she is unfamiliar with the streets in this area”
    Are the STOP signs a different color in the town she is from ?
    It just amazes me with the excuse people have after plowing their car into someone else.
    These totally preventable crashes can have life changing results for people.
    And all because they are “unfamiliar” with the roads in the area.

  • utahdiablo January 26, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    “The driver in the Toyota said he was unfamiliar with the streets and isn’t from the area, and he didn’t see the stop sign before he went through it,” ….Yeah, the Stop signs in Mexico say ALTO….also means High or Tall….maybe he was

  • 12345 January 28, 2018 at 8:00 am

    There sure is a lot of accidents at that intersection

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