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PAROWAN — A severe traffic accident left roofing nails spilled across the road, causing the closure of northbound I-15 Monday evening.
The interstate reopened by Tuesday morning.
A Utah Highway Patrol officer and a towing truck responded to a traffic accident near Parowan on northbound I-15 around 7 p.m., according to UHP Sgt. Todd Royce. The vehicles were parked along the median when a roofing truck driving northbound "side wiped" the patrol car. The truck then continued driving and drove up the ramp of the tow truck and became airborne. The roofing truck landed and rolled several times across the freeway and into the median, scattering roofing nails and other materials.
The driver of the roofing truck was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital in critical condition. UHP officer, Sgt. Ryan Bauer, was in his patrol car at the time it was hit, but he was uninjured, Royce said.
"Those who were on scene said it was a pretty dramatic crash," Royce said.
Royce said there were signs at the scene of the accident that the driver of the roofing truck had been driving impaired. The investigation is ongoing.
Northbound I-15 was temporarily closed due to the nails spilled across the road. Officials said I-15 could be reopened by 10 p.m.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Contributing: McKenzie Romero
