Mechanical failure results in truck crashing into building on Dixie State campus, police say

ST. GEORGE — A mechanical issue is suspected to be the reason why a pickup tuck crashed into the side of Dixie State University’s science building Monday evening.

Authorities believe failing brakes are the reason behind a truck striking the side of a building on the Dixie State University campus, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2021 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Shortly before 6 p.m., Dixie State and St. George Police officers were informed of a vehicle crash on the north side of the university’s science building. When they reached the scene, they found a blue pickup truck that had gone down an embanked and smashed into the wall.

While the exterior of the building appeared to escape any visible signs of damage, the front of the truck was crushed inward.

Dixie State Police Cpl. Joe Deim said the driver reported originally coming down 900 East from Red Hills Parkway with the intent to reach the Shell gas station on the corner of St. George Boulevard. However, while going down the hill, the driver discovered the truck’s brakes had failed.

“(He) couldn’t stop, so he ended up blowing through the Boulevard and coming southbound on 900 East where he tried to make a right-hand turn on 100 South but was going too fast by that point and couldn’t make it and lost control,” Deim said.

The truck ended up running across 100 South, entering one of the university’s parking lots and running down an embanked before hitting the science building’s wall.

The driver told police he had been wearing a seatbelt, yet ended up bloodied due to hitting his head on the windshield when the truck finally came to a stop, Deim said. Beyond that, he appeared to escape any further injury.

A responding ambulance crew examined the driver and he refused medical transport to the hospital, opting instead to go to St. George Regional Hospital with family members who came to pick him up, Deim said.

Due to the suspected cause of the crash being mechanical in nature, the driver was not issued a citation by a responding St. George Police officer who investigated the incident.

The truck was removed around 6:45 p.m.

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

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