Pickup crashes after trailer fishtails, dumping large trash container onto I-15 in Cedar City

CEDAR CITY — A crash on Interstate 15 in Cedar City on Wednesday afternoon left a trash container and other wreckage blocking the roadway, resulting in the temporary closure of both northbound lanes.

Responders work to move a large empty trash container from the middle of the roadway on Interstate 15, Cedar City, Utah, March 6, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Clay Allred said the incident, which was reported just after 3:10 p.m., involved a white Nissan pickup that was pulling a trailer.

“The trailer started fishtailing,” Allred said. “They lost control and then that caused them to crash.”

The pickup truck and its trailer ended up jackknifed and blocking the left lane, as seen in photos taken by Cedar City News from the 600 South overpass. Meanwhile, the large metal trash container that had been on the trailer was knocked loose in the crash and ended up in the middle of the road.

Allred said that as the Nissan went out of control, it made contact with a second vehicle, which was also a pickup truck pulling a trailer. 

No injuries were reported, Allred said, adding that there were no other vehicles involved besides the two trucks.

“We had two trucks and trailers blocking the freeway there,” he said. “We had to shut the freeway down and (detour) people into town for a little while.”

Northbound I-15 traffic was rerouted at Exit 57 onto Cedar City’s Main Street for approximately 30 minutes while the scene was cleared, Allred told Cedar City News shortly before 4 p.m., just as the road was about to fully reopen.

 “We were able to get the other lane open and get traffic flowing probably about 20-25 minutes into that,” he said.

The Nissan pickup truck sustained heavy damage and needed to be towed. Meanwhile, the other truck and its trailer appeared to have much less damage and to still be drivable.

Providing assistance to UHP troopers at the scene were multiple Cedar City Fire Department personnel, along with officers from the Cedar City Police Department. 

“The sheriff’s office and SUU Police Department also assisted with traffic control,” Allred added.

This report is based on preliminary statements from law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.