HURRICANE — A search for a lost dog was interrupted when a head-on collision injured two drivers, sending one to the hospital and a little dog to the animal shelter for treatment Sunday afternoon.
Just before 1 p.m. officers and emergency personnel responded to a reported head-on crash in a residential neighborhood near N. 1270 West and 340 North, Hurricane City Police Officer Jeff Adams said.
Upon arrival officers found a blue 1994 Buick LeSabre and a 2013 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck both sitting in the eastbound lane of the street, Adams said, with an injured 95-year-old woman inside of the Buick, along with her small white dog on the passenger’s seat.
The woman in the Buick was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center to be treated for her injuries, the officer said. The 52-year-old driver of the Toyota, who was also injured, declined transport by signing a release at the scene.
An animal control officer also responded and transported the woman’s dog to the Hurricane Animal Shelter to be examined and treated for any possible injuries.
“We just wanted to be sure to get the dog checked out,” Adams said, “because there may be injuries that we aren’t aware of.”
Upon investigation, officers found that the woman driving the Buick was searching the neighborhood for one of her dogs that she discovered was loose. She told officers that just as she turned onto 340 North heading west she thought she spotted the animal.
Meanwhile, the man in the Toyota was stopped in front of a residence and was waiting inside the truck just as the woman rounded a curve on the wrong side of the road and struck the parked Toyota head-on.
“There was nothing the man could have done at that point, because the Buick accelerated and the impact had enough force to push that truck back 15 to 20 feet from where the man was originally stopped” Adams said.
The man was wearing a seat belt when the head-on occurred, while the woman in the Buick was not restrained. The Buick sustained extensive damage from the impact and was towed from the scene, while the damage to the Toyota was moderate and the truck remained operational.
“The female will receive a citation for improper lane travel and also a citation for a seat belt violation where she has received a warning previously.”
According to Utah’s Primary Seat Belt Law, any driver who is not properly restrained is issued a written warning first and can be cited for any subsequent violations.
The Hurricane City Police Department, Hurricane Valley Fire District and Hurricane Animal Control responded and tended to the scene.
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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Charcoal Toyota Tundra was stopped in front of a residence at N. 1270 West and 340 North when it was struck head-on in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Charcoal Toyota Tundra was stopped in front of a residence at N. 1270 West and 340 North when it was struck head-on in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News The 95-year-old woman's dog in the front of the blue Buick after a head-on crash leaves two people injured and one transported to the hospital in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Blue Buick LeSabre sustains extensive damage and is towed after a head-on crash leaves two people injured in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Blue Buick LeSabre being towed after a head-on crash leaves two people injured and one transported to the hospital in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Officers and EMTs tend to the scene of a head-on crash at N. 1270 West and 340 North that sent one driver to the hospital in Hurricane, Utah, Feb. 12, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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Hope the poor doggie is OK.
Just be glad the 95 year old not paying attention and driving on the wrong side of the street didn’t hit a kill a child….even though she was looking for her dog and supposedly did not have the other dog on her lap?, please people, stop driving with your pets in your lap, we see it everyday….
My only concern is the dog. it’s not the dogs fault the owner is an idiot
It’s not your parents fault that you are an idiot.
95 years old geeeeze, this lady needs a family member to chauffeur her. It was time to hang up the keys last year. Hang them up now there’s no shame in that. It hits your pride but no shame. My goodness too old to drive