One man remained hospitalized Saturday following a rollover accident on I-15 that clogged the freeway and prompted at least seven unrelated wrecks.
One of those accidents three hours later caused significant property damage near 10500 South on I-15 about 1 p.m., but no injuries were reported.In the first accident, Joshua Anderson, 18, was a passenger in a car traveling north on I-15 at 10:40 a.m. when the driver swerved to miss a piece of tire retread in the roadway and apparently overcorrected, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Evelyn Anthony, 18, Sandy, was near 9200 South when she swerved, driving the car into the median and then back onto the roadway, which prompted the vehicle to roll three times, UHP Trooper Martin Turner said.
Anderson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected as the car rolled. He sustained substantial head and facial injuries and remained in fair and stable condition Saturday at University Hospital.
Anthony sustained only minor glass cuts and was treated and released from a local hospital. She was wearing a seat belt and remained inside the car when it rolled.
Four men traveling in a vehicle just behind the car witnessed the accident and rushed to lift the rolled vehicle on its side, helping to free Anderson from the pinned auto.
Turner said the accident resulted in a backup of several miles on I-15, resulting in at least seven additional accidents, including the two-car accident at 10500 South and a minor collision at 9000 South with no injuries.
A UHP spokesperson said a driver caught in the bumper-to-bumper gridlock apparently cut the fence along the northbound freeway on 9400 South to avoid traffic and delays.