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ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- Related collisions involving 15 vehicles on Interstate 15 in southwestern Utah caused only minor injuries, but one lane in each direction was closed for more than an hour.
Highway Patrol Trooper David Maycock said five accidents occurred within an hour Tuesday.
Maycock said the first accident occurred on the south side of the interstate after a flashing-barricade truck stopped in the fast lane to pick up a construction barrel.
Drivers of two cars took evasive action to avoid the truck and the two cars collided.
Maycock said two cars stopped in the road to avoid the first accident and another car slammed into them.
A pickup truck came along and hit several more cars.
Meanwhile, on the northbound side, a pickup truck smashed into a stopped car that then rear-ended a parked Washington County Sheriff's patrol truck.
Seconds later a Utah Power truck hit a pickup truck.
"A lot of this could have been avoided," Washington Fire Chief Dwayne Isom said. "The lookie-loos and gawkers cause these accidents because they are not paying attention to where they are going. If they were to look ahead and leave some space a lot of this could have been avoided."
Maycock said several citations are expected to be issued for following too closely and making non-emergency stops.
Law enforcement officers were looking for a vehicle that was involved in the collisions and left the scene.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
