ST. GEORGE — Four people were transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center after a head-on collision caused numerous injuries and destroyed two vehicles Saturday afternoon.
Shortly after 5 p.m. police officers, emergency personnel and two ambulances were dispatched to a two car collision that was reported at the intersection of 540 North and N. Dixie Drive, and upon arrival officers found two extensively damaged vehicles, a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition, completely blocking both northbound lanes of N. Dixie Drive.
Inside the Nissan, officers found the driver pinned inside the vehicle with a serious head injury. Once firefighters from St. George Fire were able to remove the man he was quickly transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center in stable condition, St. George Police officer David McDaniel said.
The driver appeared to have hit his head on the rear view mirror and windshield area during the crash, the officer said, by the look of the curve in the windshield where the rear-view mirror was located.
Meanwhile, a third ambulance was dispatched to the scene to assist with multiple transports.
Emergency personnel also found three injured passengers inside of the Expedition who were also transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in stable condition.
“All of the occupants in both vehicles were awake and talking before they were transported to the hospital,” the officer said.
After speaking with witnesses at the scene authorities determined that the Xterra was heading south on N. Dixie Drive and veered into the center turn lane, possibly to make a left-hand turn, McDaniel said.
Instead of turning the driver ended up crossing directly into the path of the northbound Expedition, he said.
“For reasons unknown at this moment,” McDaniel said, “the Xterra pulled directly in front, at full speed, of the expedition.”
The force of the impact completely destroyed the two vehicles and caused multiple injuries, he said.
The airbags deployed in both cars. The cars were extensively damaged and subsequently towed from the scene.
McDaniel said that the crash investigation had just begun, and limited information was available at the time this report was taken.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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The Xterra's windshield was damaged during impact in the head-on crash on N. Dixie Drive, St.George, Utah Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Multiple responders tend to a head-on crash involving a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition on N. Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Multiple responders tend to a head-on crash involving a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition on N. Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Black Nissan Xterra with extensive front-end damage after two car crash on N. Dixie Drive sends four occupants to the hospital, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Multiple responders tend to a head-on crash involving a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition on N. Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Multiple responders, including three ambulances respond to a head-on crash involving a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition on N. Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Multiple responders, including three ambulances respond to a head-on crash involving a black Nissan Xterra and a gold Ford Expedition on N. Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2017 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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