A chain collision snarls I-15 traffic in North Salt Lake City

NORTH SALT LAKE — A chain-reaction crash Thursday, touched off by a merging semitrailer hauling a wide load, snarled the evening commute on I-15 in Davis County.

The crash occurred at about 4 p.m. and affected three southbound lanes and one northbound lane on I-15 near the I-215 interchange, said Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Chris Jones.

Jones said a semitrailer hauling snow-grooming equipment was merging from I-215 onto northbound I-15 when a blade from one of the snow groomers made contact with a cargo trailer being towed by a sport utility vehicle. The contact caused the driver of the SUV to lose control and make contact with another SUV and a car.

The second SUV vaulted over the Jersey barrier, Jones said, and began to roll in the southbound lanes. It was struck by a minivan, he said.

The car also went over the barrier, landing in the southbound lanes on its tires, Jones said. The first SUV climbed the barrier, as well, but did not completely clear it.

Two people were transported to an area hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

Jones said the driver of the semitrailer did not stop after the crash but contacted investigators once he reached his company yard. The driver told troopers that due to the size of the load he was hauling, it would have been unsafe for him to stop, the corporal said.

The truck driver is expected to be cited for a lane-travel violation.

— Geoff Liesik