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SALT LAKE CITY -- A trooper vehicle was hit by an erratic driver on Interstate 215 just after snow began to fall Thursday night. This is the fourth trooper to be hit in 2011.
Vehicle narrowly misses trooper, tow truck driver
The Utah Highway Patrol vehicle was pulled over near 4500 South on the eastbound side of the freeway assisting in a rollover that occurred only moments earlier. A car, which police say was traveling too fast for conditions, crossed multiple lanes and spun out, clipping the trooper's vehicle.
To be honest with you, our troopers getting hit is getting really old.
–Lt. Garrard Moren
The trooper was examined at the scene and was complaining of minor back pain, but was not seriously injured.
The accident caused the trooper's vehicle to hit the tow truck that was in the process of lifting the rollover vehicle onto its bed, and the tow truck driver was barely missed as well, having to jump out of the way.
The accident remains under investigation, and officers say the driver of the vehicle that caused it will likely be cited for reckless driving.
UHP Lt. Garrard Moren said, "We'd just like the public to know that when the white stuff starts falling, by all means, please slow down for us. We have a dangerous job on the side of the road, and to be honest with you, our troopers getting hit is getting really old."
Moren says this is the fourth trooper to be hit just this year. "Any time it happens once it's getting old, but in the last three weeks we've had three Salt Lake troopers hit," he said. "It's getting really old and it's hard on our troopers too."
Accidents take toll on troopers' vehicles
Fortunately, no troopers have been seriously hurt in any of this year's accidents, but their cars have taken a beating.
"Reality is we don't have extra cars lying around when these troopers get hit, so it really does put a strain on us and our fleet department," Moren said.
A trooper's car is like his or her office. It holds their computer, radios and cameras. When they lose their cars, they lose their work space.
"If one of our cars get hit, we're looking at two weeks repair time to get that car fixed and back out on the road," said UHP Sgt. Larry Mower.
Troopers say they've been sharing cars with those on vacation or military leave to help with the vehicle pinch. They've also been using a few older patrol cars.
Storm leads to dozens of crashes
UHP was assisting dozens of drivers late Thursday when a quick-moving snow storm blasted the valley with a couple inches of snow and ice.
Troopers responded to multiple accidents overnight including a rollover in Parleys Canyon. The driver was not injured.
In Utah County, heavy snow and low temperatures forced the closure of northbound Interstate 15 from Spanish Fork Main Street to University Avenue in Provo. It left many drivers stranded. Troopers responded to more than a dozen accidents on both sides of the freeway in that area.
Several accidents were reported during the Friday morning commute and roads were slick in areas.
Get traffic updates on KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM.
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Story written with contributions from [ Wendy Leonard](<mailto: wleonard@desnews.com>), [ Anne Forester](<mailto: aforester@ksl.com.com>), Andrew Adams.
