Multiple UHP Vehicles Hit As Storm Leaves Roads Icy, Wet
Mar 21, 2021, 9:21 AM | Updated: 11:13 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It was a very slick and slippery morning out on Utah roads, which resulted in dozens of slide-offs and crashes. Utah Highway Patrol officials reported a total of 66 crashes and said three troopers were hit.
“Troopers were really busy, especially here in Salt Lake County,” said UHP Trooper Mikki Vargas.
The Wasatch Front got dumped on Saturday, and that led to very slick conditions on the roadways.
“It caused a lot of crashes this morning,” said Vargas.
We are grateful our troopers are okay, but this is a really bad start to this snow storm. PLEASE, slow down and be extra cautious, and give our Troopers and other Responders some space when you see flashing lights! https://t.co/cyOEbvi5bD
— Michael Rapich (@ColonelRapich) March 21, 2021
Drivers had a hard time keeping control on icy surfaces, which lead to dozens of slide-offs and crashes.
Authorities said speed was also to blame.
“We just need to have people slow down,” said Vargas. “We just don’t know where those ice patches are, especially a day after having bad conditions like we did yesterday.”
Slippery roads put troopers in danger as well. Three different troopers were involved in three different incidents Sunday.
The first one happened on I-15 northbound at about 7200 South.
“He had a truck next to him, pulling a trailer, and he hit a patch of ice, started fish-tailing and that trailer hit his vehicle and pushed him into a guardrail,” said Vargas. “Deployed all the airbags in his car, so that vehicle is completely totaled.”
Fortunately, that trooper received minor injuries, but the next one wasn’t as lucky.
It's especially important to slow down this morning as we've had 2 troopers' vehicles hit. One on the 7200 South structure and one at 500 South, both on I-15. No injuries on the one at 72, but our trooper at 500 South is getting checked out for what appear to be minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/ouAGC66UnT
— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) March 21, 2021
The second incident happened on the 500 South onramp to southbound I-15.
The trooper was preparing to close down traffic on the bridge because so many cars were sliding off. That’s when he was hit not once, but twice.
“He got rear-ended first, that one was pretty minor, and then maybe minutes after, he got hit by a truck, and that one set off all his air bags,” said Vargas.
Authorities said a total of 24 cars piled up on that onramp.
The trooper who was hit sustained neck and back injuries.
UHP urged drivers to slow down as more winter weather was expected.
“If for whatever reason it does continue to snow and rain, just make sure to drive slower through those curves, the on-ramps, off-ramps, any bridges, that’s where you’ll see the most ice,” said Vargas.
Utah’s Move Over Law requires drivers to slow down and move away from any stationary emergency vehicles that have their flashing lights on. If moving over a lane is not possible, drivers are required to slow down.
