Man arrested, accused of causing road-rage crash that ejected woman, then leaving the scene

HURRICANE, Washington County — One man was arrested Sunday in connection to a rollover crash that ejected an 18-year-old woman in the area of Zion National Park. Police said he caused the crash while experiencing road rage.

Usitai Gordon Tuiloli, 22, was arrested on suspicion of failing to remain at the scene of the accident that caused a serious injury and reckless endangerment and reckless driving with a road-rage enhancement, a class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, the crash involved a pickup truck that rolled on Utah Highway 9 near the services at Zion National Park. Officers arrived to find the woman who had been ejected and a man who was also in the truck. At least one other driver involved was at the scene and told officers the crash was caused by a a person in a van that left after yelling profanities at the truck’s passengers.

“Many minutes later, the suspect, identified as Usitai Tuiloli returned to the crash scene,” court documents state. “He went to the intersection of 2260 West and State Street before turning around after being told by his wife to do so.”

Multiple witnesses at the scene told officers Tuiloli was tailgating and cutting them off before the crash.

“One driver stated they were in a verbal altercation when they stopped at the traffic light at 3400 West and State Street,” the documents state.

Another driver told them Tuiloli rapidly activated his brakes, causing them to swerve, striking the truck and causing it to roll.

After Tuiloli returned to the scene, he told officers there was another driver “flipping him off” and yelling at him. He said he observed a truck “driving recklessly,” but court documents did not specify whether the truck he spoke of was the same one that crashed. He said they stopped at a red light but told officers the other driver began yelling at him.

Tuiloli said he then pursued the truck and began following it “to try and figure out why the driver was acting this way.” He passed the truck and saw an SUV in front of him, so he quickly changed lanes again, coming very close to the truck.

Tuiloli told police the truck tried to pass him, but it collided with another truck and began to roll in front of him. Ultimately, police said that Tuiloli was at fault based on the evidence collected and witness statements from the other drivers.

“The crash was caused by Usitai operating in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons due to his lack of care for the other vehicles around him,” court documents state. Further, Tuiloli acted “with the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle.”