A Syracuse woman was in stable condition at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden Saturday following surgery for injuries suffered after a three-car accident that involved a Utah Highway Patrol trooper.
The Friday night accident closed I-15 near Centerville for a short time and reduced southbound traffic to one lane for nearly two hours, Centerville Police Sgt. Chris Symes said.About 2 p.m., UHP Trooper Chris Witte heard a radio dispatch from Centerville police asking all area officers to be on the lookout for a reckless driver in a Ford Explorer headed south on I-15, Symes said. Witte, 26, who was southbound on the freeway near 1800 South, pulled over and watched for the vehicle.
As he waited, another vehicle pulled in behind him. Motorist Shawn Spriggs, 32, Bountiful, also wanted to inform Witte about the erratic driver. But before Spriggs could get out his vehicle to talk to the trooper, an Explorer driven by Mary Denhalter, 47, struck his vehicle from behind, Symes said.
Spriggs' vehicle lurched forward and slammed into the rear end of Witte's patrol car. Denhalter's vehicle veered off the road and down an embankment toward some Union Pacific Railroad tracks, according to Symes.
Denhalter had to be extricated from her vehicle. She was transported by medical helicopter to McKay-Dee Hospital with serious injuries. Spriggs, his wife and two children were treated for minor injuries at a Centerville hospital and released, Symes said.
Witte also suffered minor injuries.
Because the accident involved a UHP vehicle, the accident is being investigated by Centerville police, Symes said.