A Day of Crashes, Injuries, and Death in Washington County

August 15, 2023, was supposed to be a day of new beginnings for many residents of Southern Utah, mostly due to the beginning of the new school year, but things did not go quite as planned due to multiple traffic accidents across Washington County.

Sunset Boulevard Crash

The most notable of the crashes took place on Sunset Boulevard near Valley View Drive.

A small Chevy pickup truck suffered a head-on-collision with a full-size Dodge pickup truck. The driver of the Chevy had to be extracted from the wreckage with assistance from fire workers as they used the Jaws of Life to cut off the roof of the small truck.

55-year-old Manuel Gomez passed away due to injuries he sustained in the crash after he was transferred to St. George Regional Hospital.

State Route 9 Crash Near Virgin

Another crash sent four people to the hospital after a drowsy driver collided with a Nissan SUV on State Route 9 near Virgin.

The drowsy driver reportedly swerved across the center line and crashed into the SUV and suffered minor injuries.

The passengers of the SUV weren’t so lucky. All four of the passengers were sent to the hospital with one of the patients being transferred via life flight due to her critical condition.

Dixie Drive Rollover

The last major crash of the day happened on Dixie Drive with a yellow Land Rover Discovery overturning onto the asphalt.

A red GMC Sierra truck failed to yield while turning left onto Dixie Drive from Mesa Palms Drive, colliding with the Rover, and sending the teen who was driving the vehicle to the hospital with injuries of unknown severity.

The driver of the Sierra was given a citation on the grounds of failing to yield.

It’s easy to forget that you’re driving in a two-ton pile of metal, and that sense of ease and routine can often lead to these kinds of accidents.

Be sure to stay off your phone, keep your eyes on the road, and respect your distance with the cars in front and behind you.

Take care.