HURRICANE, Utah — A 22-year-old is now facing felony charges following a crash that sent an 18-year-old to the hospital with critical injuries. Police say the crash was the result of a "road rage incident" with the suspect not staying at the scene of the accident.
On Saturday, first responders with the Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue, were called to State Road 9 at 10:38 p.m. for the reports of a vehicle accident involving a rollover. In the crash a truck with two people inside rolled over with one occupant being ejected from the vehicle.
The ejected person was according to court documents, an 18-year-old female that had a large gash to her knee, cuts on her arms, and injuries to her head. She was taken to St. George Regional Hospital for her injuries.
Witnesses reported to police that a van was driving recklessly, slamming on their brakes in front of other cars, tailgating, and cutting drivers off. When the driver of the van, 22-year-old Usitai Gordon Tuiloli, rapidly applied their brakes in front of another driver, the driver swerved, striking the truck that would roll.
Those witnesses also claimed that Usitai slowed down to curse at those involved in the accident before driving away.
Police do say that Usitai did return to the scene of the accident while they were investigating where he was then arrested. " 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," officers wrote in court documents.
According to Usitai, he spotted a truck driving recklessly and decided to follow them. When he eventually went to pass Tuiloli told police that he did cut off the other vehicle and observed the vehicles collide and roll in front of him. He would later return after being told by his wife to do so.
Tuiloli is now facing charges of reckless driving and a felony charge of failure to remain at accident involving serious injury.
