Motorcyclist sideswipes tractor-trailer near Walmart distribution center during hurricane – St George News

Lina PortmanMay 30, 2024

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Image of a Hurricane Police vehicle in Hurricane, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Police, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – In a crash described by police as something that could have been much worse, a motorcyclist escaped with minor injuries Wednesday morning after apparently sideswiping a tractor-trailer near the Walmart distribution center during the hurricane on Old Dixie Highway 91.

The map shows the location where a motorcycle sideswiped a tractor-trailer near 150 N. Old Dixie Highway 91, Hurricane, Utah, May 29, 2024 | Crash graphic by iStock/Getty Images Plus, photo courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News | Click to enlarge

The crash happened near 150 N. Old Dixie Highway 91 around 7:10 a.m. and slowed traffic on the road for about 40 minutes, although the road was never closed in either direction.

Sgt. Dan Raddatz of the Hurricane Police Department said the motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was carried from the scene with road rashes and bruises, but was “alert and responsive.”

“It definitely could have been a lot worse,” Raddatz said. “Any time a motorcycle is involved, it looks bad.”

Alongside the police, firefighters and Hurricane Rescue responded to the scene.

Raddatz said the motorcycle was heading north on Highway 91 while the truck was heading south. Officers say they are still trying to figure out why, but the motorcycle veered into the southbound lane and struck the tractor-trailer.

“He claimed he lost control but veered into oncoming traffic,” Raddatz said, noting the motorcyclist was cited for veering into oncoming traffic.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the complete findings.

Chris Reed is a reporter for the St. George News, where he has received several Society of Professional Journalists awards for his work, including first place honors. He began his journalism career as a sports reporter and editor in Southern California, where he compared shoe sizes with Shaquille O'Neal and traded 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 casinos, he came to St. George for love and married his soul mate, a lifelong resident of southern Utah. He is the proud father of two boys, his youngest a champion against autism and type 1 diabetes.