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BOX ELDER COUNTY -- For the second time in two days a Utah Highway Patrol vehicle was hit while a trooper was assisting motorists.
Just after 5 a.m. Monday, a UHP trooper was parked in the median on I-15 near Willard helping with one of several crashes in the area, according to a statement from the UHP. The trooper was sitting in his car filling out an accident report when a tow truck arrived to take away one of the vehicles involved in the accident.
As the truck slowed down, another vehicle came up from behind too quickly for conditions and couldn't stop in time, according to the UHP. The vehicle crashed into the back of the tow truck, pushing it into the UHP trooper's vehicle.
"The tow truck was doing everything properly, slowing down, they have their emergency lights on when they are coming in," trooper Todd Johnson said. "Somebody, for whatever reason, was just not paying attention, was going too fast."
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The trooper received minor back injuries. He was treated at McKay Dee Hospital and later released. No other injuries were reported.
Perry police are investigating Monday's crash. It's unclear if the driver has been cited.
The accident comes just 24 hours after another trooper was parked at the top of the on-ramp for I-15 at 4500 South assisting a vehicle that had slid off the road, and was hit from behind by an another vehicle. The trooper received minor injuries.
Just two weeks ago, the UHP held a press conference urging the public to slow down during bad weather because of the number of troopers that had been hit or nearly hit.
Last year 21 troopers were hit; seven of the crashes were in December. So far this year, three troopers have been hit, with one near miss.
"The first 10 days of the years ... the numbers are quite high to begin with and it's a little too high," Johnson said.
UHP says winter conditions have a lot to do with it -- and drivers traveling too fast.
"They need to reduce their speed," Johnson said. "Not just a couple of miles an hour; they need to cut five, 10, sometimes 15 miles per hour."
Northbound I-15 was closed for awhile Monday morning in the Willard Bay area because of numerous slide offs. More than a half-dozen crashes were reported and at least two people taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.
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Story written by Pat Reavy with contributions from Anne Forester and the DMC News Team.
