HURRICANE — A crash between a minivan and a pickup at the corner of 1150 West and State Street in Hurricane during the work and school commute Friday morning resulted in five people being transported to the hospital. Three of those transported, all occupants of the minivan, suffered life-threatening injuries including one who was ejected from the vehicle, authorities said.
While the crash is still under investigation, officers said the minivan ran a red light.
The crash, which occurred at around 7:45 a.m., completely closed the eastbound side of State Street/state Route 9 at 1150 West, which caused at least a half-mile backup. Traffic was diverted to the southbound side of the residential 1150 West and vehicles had another quarter-mile of backup before being able to detour onto 400 South.
Traffic moved at about the pace of walking speed at a time many were heading to work, school, or in some cases Zion National Park in a tour bus.
Pieces from both the red Chrysler Pacifica and the gray Honda Ridgeline were scattered for about 20 yards. Both vehicles were battered and undrivable with the front windshields cracked and many airbags deployed.
The crash site remained closed for the investigation and traffic remained backed up for nearly two hours before it was cleared around 10 a.m.
A man named Steve, who would not disclose his last name, was in his bed with the window open at his home at the recreational vehicle park a block away when he heard the crash.
“I heard it. Boom!” Steve said, gesturing with his arms in a tall motion. “And I knew it was a car accident. I’ve heard this before. It’s a sound you don’t forget. When that metal hits, it just … bang!”
Along with police from Hurricane, the Hurricane Valley Fire District, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Utah Highway Patrol also responded to the scene.
Officers were continuing to investigate the scene throughout the morning in a full critical crash investigation, utilizing a drone.
“We’re not sure right now what happened,” Hurricane Police Officer Paige Roundy said at the scene. “We’re still figuring it out.”
Hurricane Police Officer Dan Radditz said the investigation was being turned over to the Utah Highway Patrol.
UHP Lt. Shawn Judd later told St. George News that it appears the crash was caused by failing to stop at a red light.
“Preliminary information is a red minivan failed to stop for a red light at the intersection and collided with the gray Honda Ridgeline,” Judd said, adding that the minivan was traveling north on 1150 West and the pickup was going east on SR-9.
While the ages and genders of the injured have not yet been released, Hurricane Valley Fire District Battalion Chief Kohl Furley said that the injuries to one of the passengers in the minivan were especially serious.
“We had one that was ejected from the vehicle. They’re in critical condition,” Furley said, noting the other two passengers in the minivan were in serious condition. “The two who came from (the pickup) were non-life-threatening injuries.”
Photo Gallery
Aftermath of crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Chrysler Pacifica minivan after it collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Debris from crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Chrysler Pacifica minivan after it collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Debris from crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Debris from crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Aftermath of crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Honda Ridgeline pickup after it collided with a Chrysler Pacifica minivan at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Chrysler Pacifica minivan after it collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Debris from crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Debris from crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Chrysler Pacifica minivan after it collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Traffic backed up on 1150 West near 400 South after Chrysler Pacifica minivan collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at corner of State Street, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Chrysler Pacifica minivan after it collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Map shows location of crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Crash graphic by iStock/Getty Images Plus, photo courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News Traffic backed up on State Street after Chrysler Pacifica minivan collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at corner of 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Traffic backed up on State Street after Chrysler Pacifica minivan collided with a Honda Ridgeline pickup at corner of 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Officers from three agencies investigate crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup as morning traffic backs up at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News Officers from three agencies investigate crash between Chrysler Pacifica minivan Honda Ridgeline pickup as morning traffic backs up at State Street and 1150 West, Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 8, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.
Chris Reed serves as a reporter for St. George News, where he has been honored with several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his work, including first-place accolades. He started his journalism career as a sports reporter and editor in Southern California where he once compared shoe sizes with Shaquille O'Neal and exchanged mix tapes with members of the Los Angeles Kings. After growing up in the San Fernando Valley learning karate skills from Mr. Miyagi and spending a decade in Las Vegas mostly avoiding the casinos, he came to St. George for love and married his soulmate, a lifetime Southern Utah resident. He is the proud father of two boys, his youngest a champion against both autism and Type 1 diabetes.
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