WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — A man from St. George was hit and killed by a vehicle on State Route 18 in the vicinity of Veyo Wednesday night, and police reportedly believe the man may have been impaired when he left his car and started walking along the road.
St. George News reports the crash occurred about 2 miles south of Veyo, and the deceased is identified as 35-year-old Justin R. Maples.
Maples and a female passenger were driving north on SR-18 in a gold Pontiac Grand Am around 7:45 p.m. when, for an unknown reason, Maples stopped on the right side of the road, got out of his vehicle and began walking in the northbound lanes.
“Further investigation showed that earlier in the evening Mr. Maples had been reported as a possible impaired driver but was not located by law enforcement,” the Utah Highway Patrol stated in a press release.
Maples was hit by a southbound vehicle, the driver of which pulled over and called police. St. George News reports UHP believes Maples was impaired at the time he was struck. The driver of the vehicle that struck Maples has cooperated with authorities, and blood draws have been taken on both the driver and the deceased to test for impairment.
There were no injuries reported in connection with the crash beyond the fatality. Click here for local coverage and photos from the scene from St. George News.
