ST. GEORGE, Utah — Utah Highway Patrol officers are speaking out about the emotional impact of responding to fatal crashes, following a wrong-way collision on Interstate 15 in St. George that killed three people over Labor Day weekend.
The crash occurred Sunday evening when deputies say an 89-year-old woman drove the wrong way on I-15 and collided head-on with another vehicle. It has prompted discussions about both highway safety and the psychological toll on first responders.
"I do feel for the families and for the impact that this will have for years, you know, in their memories," said UHP Sgt. Andy Battenfield.
The collision happened just after 6 p.m. when the elderly driver, in a Cadillac Escalade, mistakenly entered the northbound lanes while traveling southbound, deputies said. She had intended to access southbound I-15 from Dixie Drive but became confused and entered the wrong side of the freeway.
The Escalade struck a 2019 Toyota Highlander between the Dixie Drive and Brigham Road exits. The wrong-way driver and two people in the Highlander — a man and woman both in their 70s — died at the scene. Two women in their 20s were airlifted to the hospital and are expected to recover.
"The call came out, and within a minute or two, the collision occurred. It happened so fast and there was really no time," Sgt. Joe Pastor said.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the crash highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces when investigating fatal accidents. Northbound I-15 remained closed for much of Sunday evening as investigators worked to piece together what happened.
"A lot of times we have to close the road for extended amounts of time to get those measurements done, to get everything figured out," Battenfield said.
The sergeant acknowledged that road closures can frustrate travelers, particularly during busy holiday weekends, but emphasized the importance of thorough investigations.
"I can only say that if you were inconvenienced by the crash in St. George last night or by any crash that we hold the road closed for an extended period amount of time, think about if that was your loved one that we were doing the investigation on. How would you want us to handle that investigation?" Battenfield said.
The incident also underscored the personal toll these tragedies take on the officers who respond to them. Battenfield spoke candidly about the emotional weight of dealing with multiple fatalities.
"My own personal experience is that we try our best to make sure that we're working hard and keeping the public safe. Sometimes, you know, fatals are unavoidable and even sometimes with the best signage, people do go the wrong way," Battenfield said.
