High winds blow semi off SR-56

Scene of a semitractor-trailer crash on SR-56 about 15 miles west of Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 27, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — High winds blew a semitractor-trailer off the road about 15 miles west of Cedar City on Wednesday, police said.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Bambi Baie said the semi, which was pulling an empty trailer, was westbound on state Route 56 at approximately mile marker 45 when the incident occurred around noon.

Baie described the weather conditions as being “very windy,” with snow blowing over the roadway.

“More or less, the wind blew him off the roadway at a snowy and slick spot,” she said. “The tractor hit an embankment and jackknifed off the roadway.”

No injuries were reported. 

Scene of a semitractor-trailer crash on SR-56 about 15 miles west of Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 27, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News / Cedar City News

“He was okay,” Baie said of the driver, adding that the vehicle had been traveling relatively slowly at the time of the crash.

Both the semi and its trailer needed to be towed from the scene. UHP said the impact to SR-56 traffic was minimal, as the wreckage was off the roadway.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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