Troopers were trying to stop the semi heading westbound on Interstate 80 when it went into the median and then eastbound lanes near the Summit Park exit. The truck had been reported for reckless driving and had allegedly hit three cars between Kimball Junction and Parleys Summit.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden said the truck had slowed significantly by the time it entered the wrong side of the interstate.
“As it was going up the hill in that part of the summit, they went down through the median and into oncoming lanes, although it was going fairly slow at that time,” Roden said. “Troopers were there in the area with it as well, and as they saw it cross over, they were able to cross over as well and get in front of the semi to get it to stop. The semi did run into the back of the trooper’s car, only causing some minor damage.”
Roden credited troopers for acting quickly, which kept oncoming traffic safe. No one was injured in the semi's trail of accidents ending in the canyon.
“Even though the semi was going slow,” Roden said, “if the vehicles coming head-on were to hit a head-on collision like that, it very well could have been an injury, likely serious-injury crash. Any time you have a vehicle going into oncoming traffic, it leaves not many options for vehicles going the right direction to make a split-second decision. It also leaves officers little options to to try to get that vehicle stopped, especially when you're dealing with a vehicle like a semi like that. It just is such a dangerous situation.”
Roden said troopers suspected the driver was under the influence and arrested him for DUI.
