3 killed in Utah interstate crashes as snow falls

CEDAR CITY — Three women died in separate traffic crashes Wednesday in southern Utah, including one that partially closed the state’s main north-south interstate for several hours and another involving a state trooper apparently responding to the scene.

At least three crashes were reported along a two-mile stretch of Interstate 15 between Cedar City and St. George. Snow began had been falling in the area since around 10:30 a.m. and visibility was low at the time of the wrecks, said Nanette Hosenfeld, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Salt Lake City.

“Weather is going to be a factor,” said UHP Trooper Cameron Roden, though it’s still unclear what led to the fatal crash.

In one crash, a semi-trailer caused a chain-reaction collision with five cars that stopped for a previous accident, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. A Kia Spectra was stopped behind a truck when it was struck from behind by another semi-trailer. That truck, in turn, was struck from behind by another vehicle.

The patrol said the driver of the Kia, 25-year-old Kristen Kay Taylor of Salt Lake City, was killed. A passenger in the car was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

Three other people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the patrol said.

In a separate crash in St. George, a trooper apparently responding to the I-15 wreck about 27 miles north collided with a car that turned in front of the cruiser.

St. George police Lt. James Van Fleet said two elderly women — ages 71 and 75 — died in that crash. Their identities were not released.

The trooper car’s lights and sirens were on, Van Fleet said. The trooper was taken to a hospital with injuries that weren’t life threatening, he said.

The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours, and traffic was diverted to side roads. A lane of southbound traffic reported late Wednesday afternoon.

Separate crashes kill 3 in S. Utah

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- Authorities say three people have been killed in two separate accidents in southern Utah and that southbound Interstate 15 has been closed.

Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Cameron Roden says a woman was killed on I-15 in a multi-vehicle crash south of Cedar City.

In a separate crash in St. George, a trooper apparently responding to the I-15 wreck about 27 miles north collided with a car that turned in front of the cruiser.

St. George police Lt. James Van Fleet says two women -- ages 71 and 75 -- died in that crash.

Van Fleet says the trooper had his lights and sirens working.

He says the trooper was taken to a hospital with injuries that weren't life threatening.

Roden says the original crash involving several vehicles was reported around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday between Cedar City and St. George.