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MANTI — Troopers urged drivers Thursday to make sure they are alert and focused behind the wheel as Utah Highway Patrol released dash camera footage of a box truck collision that injured a sheriff's deputy earlier this month.
Investigators said on Aug. 7 just before 1 p.m., the Sanpete County sheriff's deputy was involved in a traffic stop on the side of the road at milepost 258 on U.S. Highway 89 outside of Manti.
During that stop, dash camera footage from a UHP vehicle shows the deputy was at the passenger side window of the white box truck when another box truck clipped his cruiser and then drove into the back of the white box truck, knocking the deputy to the ground.
Moments later, the deputy could be seen limping away from the wreckage, clutching at his chest.
According to a UHP spokesman, the deputy and both truck drivers were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The deputy, the spokesman said, has made good progress since the crash.
Investigators said the second box truck driver fell asleep prior to colliding with the deputy's vehicle and the white box truck.
"That deputy is super lucky to be alive," said UHP Sgt. Kris Cope after reviewing the video footage. "Whether you're distracted by a cellphone or some other object in the vehicle, you're drowsy — we encourage everybody to get off the freeway or frankly just pull over and deal with that phone call or that text message before you continue down the roadway."
Cope himself was hit previously in slick conditions.
"Be focused when you drive," Cope continued. "Look ahead, look as far ahead as you can see. If you see those red and blue lights or any emergency vehicles or maintenance vehicles on the side of the road — whether it be the left or the right — just move over a lane. Whether you cross the double-white lines in the HOV lane out to the fast lane, we encourage everybody to do that. We want to go home just as much as everybody else does."
