BEAVER, Utah — A driver is in critical condition after they crashed into a semi on Interstate 15 early Sunday morning.
Utah Highway Patrol said the incident began around 2:18 a.m. when a trooper located the driver in a 2006 Cadillac going north in the southbound lanes of the highway approximately four miles north of Parowan.
When attempting to intercept, the driver began speeding at approximately 90 miles per hour, swerving towards them. The trooper attempted a PIT maneuver, but failed to connect. The driver then sped off at approximately 120 miles per hour.
The trooper pursued from the northbound lanes, contacting the Beaver County Sheriff's Office for assistance.
The pursuit ended approximately near Lees Spring Wash, just over 13 miles south of Beaver, when the driver swerved to avoid but ultimately crashed into a 2024 Freightliner. Both vehicles crossed the median into the northbound lanes, with a 2014 Toyota striking the trailer of the Freightliner, followed by a 2011 Freightliner striking the first semi, splitting it in half.
The driver of the Cadillac had to be extracted from the vehicle and transported by LifeFlight for medical treatment. UHP says they remain in critical condition. The occupants of the Toyota were transported by ambulance with minor injuries.
The crash prompted the closure of both southbound and northbound lanes, with traffic diverting 9 miles south of Beaver. The closure lasted about two hours.
UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden said Sunday's incident was the first wrong-way crash in Utah this year. UHP said they’ve cited over 20 people for wrong-way driving so far.
“When we drive, that needs to be a full-time job,” said UHP Sgt. Bambi Baie. “As a driver, we need to make sure that we’re always monitoring our surroundings.”
Last year, UHP reported 18 wrong-way crashes with five of those being fatal. They also reported handing out 320 wrong-way driving citations.
“I don’t understand why people, with all the Ubers and Lyfts and other ways of transportation, get impaired and still drive,” Sgt. Baie said. “All these people have been involved in a situation they didn’t even think was going to happen, and now their lives are turned around.”
