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PARAGONAH, Iron County — A Nevada man who was reported missing and endangered died early Saturday morning when the car he was driving stopped in the middle of a lane on I-15 and a semitrailer slammed into it.
Lief Johansson, 62, of Henderson, Nevada, died at the scene of the crash several miles north of Paragonah, Utah Highway Patrol reported.
Troopers are still investigating the reason why he stopped in a northbound lane on the freeway. He was listed as a missing and endangered person with health issues and dementia, according to UHP.
Troopers at UHP's dispatch center in Cedar City first began receiving 911 calls about the small silver car stopped in right travel lane at about 5 a.m.
"Troopers began to respond to the area, but a short time later, another caller reported that a UPS semi with triple trailers had struck the car," UHP reported in a news release Saturday afternoon.
When the semi crashed into the car, the truck "jackknifed into the median," UHP officials said, and the front drive axle tore from the truck. The car was pushed off the right side of the road onto the shoulder and "suffered extensive damage," troopers said.
Medical responders arrived and extricated the driver. A medical helicopter also flew to the scene, UHP reported. Ambulance and helicopter crews attempted lifesaving measures, but Johansson died on scene.
The truck driver only had minor injuries, UHP said.
