Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A car hit a trailer on the freeway Friday afternoon after the trailer became detached from the pickup truck that was hauling it, police said.
A Taylorsville family was driving the pickup truck eastbound on I-80 near State Street just before noon when the trailer somehow became detached from the hitch, but stayed connected to the pickup by the safety chain, Utah Highway Patrol reported.
The driver, 28-year-old Amber Marchant, pulled to the right, but due to the narrow shoulder on the road, was still mostly in the travel lane.
Marchant and her husband, Brandon, 41, got out of the car to check out the trailer.
About an hour later, Salt Lake resident John Galanis, 54, was travelling eastbound from the second lane to the right when traffic slowed because of the pickup truck and trailer blocking the road.
UHP said Galanis appeared to be driving too fast and too close to the car in front of him. Galanis then hit the car in front of him, and pushed it into the second lane from the left.
Galanis' car then went into the right lane and underneath the trailer, which pushed the trailer into the Marchant's, who were then pushed into the concrete barrier on the bridge structure.
Amber Marchant and Galanis were transported to Intermountain Medical Care in poor condition after Marchant sustained chest and head injuries and Galanis sustained head and arm injuries. Brandon Marchant was not taken to the hospital and their 7-year-old and 1-year-old children were uninjured.
"This crash could have been significantly worse and all involved are fortunate they were not more severely injured or killed," UHP said. "UHP would like to remind all drivers to allow a proper following distance (70 mph = 210 feet) and be alert for hazards on the roadway in front of them. Also, if you are ever involved in a crash or your car becomes disabled in the roadway, it is best to remain in the vehicle and call 911."
Propane tanks at the front of the trailer were on fire, Utah Highway Patrol said.
Two eastbound lanes were closed on I-80 at the State Street interchange until about 3 p.m., according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
