Investigation opens after man found dead on Washington County highway

ST. GEORGE — A Washington County man was found dead after his SUV reportedly rolled off Old Dixie Highway 91 on Wednesday night near the Utah-Arizona border. Multiple witnesses said he was seen walking on the highway following the crash, authorities say.

A Toyota SUV is heavily damaged during a rollover crash on Old Dixie Highway 91 near the Utah-Arizona border, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 31, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire and Rescue, St. George News

Sgt. Lucas Alfred with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office told St. George News that emergency dispatch started receiving multiple calls late Wednesday night shortly after 10:30 p.m. reporting that a Toyota 4Runner rolled off Old Dixie Highway 91 near mile marker 2, a remote area near Bulldog Pass Road.

Alfred said one of the witnesses told emergency dispatch the SUV reportedly rolled at least five times.

Several callers also reported the presence of a disorderly male, possibly the driver of the SUV, who was walking near the scene asking for a ride to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Emergency responders from multiple agencies in Utah were dispatched to the scene, as well as the Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire Department, since the crash took place near the Utah-Arizona border.

While en route, emergency personnel were advised that the SUV driver was walking around in the middle of the roadway and was struck by an oncoming vehicle, Alfred said. As the first units arrived, they found the man on the highway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was transported to the medical examiner’s office for autopsy, Alfred added.

Meanwhile, the accident reconstruction team was called out to conduct an investigation, while deputies and investigators spoke to multiple witnesses who remained at the scene. Due to the nature of the incidents, the accident reconstruction could take weeks or even longer to complete.

While tending to the scene, investigators were advised that an individual called emergency dispatch reporting “that they had hit something” but were not sure what it was. After that, the caller reportedly realized they had struck a man and proceeded to provide a statement to investigators.

Alfred said the caller said they were heading north along the highway when they encountered several sets of bright headlights that made it difficult to see the roadway, which is when they said they struck “something” but could not see what it was.

No charges or citations have been filed in the case at this point, Alfred said, and further details will be released as the investigation progresses.

Investigators were out at the scene well into Thursday morning and multiple agencies responded, including the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Utah Highway Patrol, the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department, Santa Clara-Ivins Fire and Ambulance, the Washington County Accident Reconstruction Team as well as the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire and Rescue.

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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