New details emerge in fatal head-on collision with sheriff’s deputy

SALT LAKE CITY — On Nov. 17, Daniel Jack Monfore, 33, was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by a sheriff’s deputy traveling in the opposite direction, near Ivins. Monfore died at the scene of the crash.

Nearly two months later, new details in the case are surfacing, but the investigation is ongoing.

Monfore, who lived in St. George, had been riding on Old Highway 91 near milepost 15 just after 3:30 p.m. when he was hit by the deputy, who was with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a search warrant request, the deputy “crossed over the center divider line in a blind corner and collided into the motorcycle that was in the far side of the lane.”

The deputy had been driving a Ford F-150 that was “being operated in an emergency response manner with lights and siren activated.”

The search warrant sought to obtain engine control records from the Yamaha MT07 motorcycle that Monfore had been riding, as investigators believed the evidence might prove the motorcycle had been going too fast for the “existing conditions.” However, the initial crash report released by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety made no mention of a storm or hazardous road conditions.

After the crash, the “officer-involved critical incident” protocol was enacted, meaning Utah Highway Patrol is working in partnership with the Washington County Attorney’s Office to investigate.

The attorney’s office said it could not give any information on the case as the investigation is ongoing, and officer-involved investigations can take two to four months for its staff to complete.

Motorcyclist killed in head-on crash with sheriff deputy, DPS says