WASHINGTON COUNTY — A car spun out of control and crashed after its driver abruptly hit the brakes while attempting to merge onto Interstate 15 Thursday evening.
Utah Highway Patrol responded to the scene of the incident near milepost 12 on northbound Interstate 15 at approximately 8 p.m.
A man driving a maroon 2004 Nissan Altima merged northbound from Exit 10 onto the Interstate and attempted to move into the main lanes of traffic from the merge lane. A semitractor-trailer was in the No. 2 (or outside) lane of the Interstate, blocking the Nissan from successfully merging, UHP Trooper Grant Hintze said.
He then hit his brakes suddenly in an attempt to get behind the semi, Hintze said, causing him to lose control of the car and causing it to spin out of control and hit the median, smashing into a cable barrier.
The driver of the Nissan did not report any injuries, but the passenger complained of pain in her ribs and went to the hospital for treatment.
The car sustained significant damage to its passenger side in the crash, rendering it disabled and requiring it to be towed. No other vehicles were involved.
Rain was falling hard at the time of the incident, soaking the road and causing slick driving conditions.
“He ended up spinning around and smacking into the guardrail,” Nick Tolomeo, a witness to the crash, said.
The car apparently spun a full 180 degrees before coming to rest in the median facing south.
Citation is pending while the driver’s passenger receives treatment, Hintze said, but not yielding right-of-way to the semi and speeding too fast for wet conditions are possible enforcement actions.
“Vehicles on the main causeway of I-15 have the right of way over vehicles merging on,” Hintze said.
Washington City Fire, Gold Cross Ambulance and Washington City Police also responded to the incident.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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A 2004 Nissan Altima is damaged after spinning out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News Emergency personnel respond after a car spun out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News Emergency personnel respond after a car spun out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News A 2004 Nissan Altima is damaged after spinning out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News A 2004 Nissan Altima is damaged after spinning out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News A 2004 Nissan Altima is damaged after spinning out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News Emergency personnel respond after a car spun out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News A 2004 Nissan Altima is damaged after spinning out of control on Interstate 15, Washington County, Utah, Jan. 12, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News
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