ST. GEORGE — The Utah Highway Patrol said northbound travelers should expect delays for at least the next two hours after a semitractor-trailer rolled in Beaver County Sunday afternoon.
A semitractor-trailer rolled on Interstate 15 in Beaver County, Utah, Feb. 18, 2024 | Photo courtesy of the Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News
The driver of a northbound semi found himself behind a car traveling about 40 miles per hour on a temporary spare tire. But the semi was moving too fast to brake, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Andrew Battenfield said.
The truck driver pulled into the emergency lane to avoid a collision and reportedly was successful.
However, as he pulled back onto the roadway, the semi’s tires caught on the soft shoulder, and it rolled near mile marker 103 shortly before 4 p.m., “taking a Tesla with him — pushing a Tesla off the road,” Battenfield told Cedar City News.
The semi’s cargo, including Subway cookies, spilled onto the road’s edge and across the shoulder.
The semi’s driver was transported to the hospital as a precaution, but he sustained non-life-threatening injuries, Battenfield said.
One lane was open, and traffic was backed up for about 3-4 miles shortly after 6 p.m. He said it could take an additional two hours or more to clear the roadway. UDOT webcams show the extensive backup on I-15 north near mile marker 103.
This report is based on statements from first responders and law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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