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CEDAR CITY — A Utah Highway Patrol trooper was injured Monday afternoon after responding to a car accident and subsequently being hit and pinned under a car.
Trooper David Schiers arrived at the scene of the initial accident at I-15 near the Cedar City Interchange at about 3 p.m., where he discovered a white Ford passenger car had collided with some cable barriers alongside the freeway. Because of poor weather, the car had hydroplaned and gone into the center median, police said.
While Schiers was investigating the accident and waiting for the Cedar City Fire Department to arrive and extricate the victims, a black BMW hydroplaned and collided with the Ford, which then hit Schiers, according to UHP Lt. Steve Esplin.
Paramedics arrived just moments later and used the “Jaws of Life” to lift the vehicle within a couple of minutes. Schiers was then transported to Valley View Medical Center for serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Esplin said it was amazing the fire truck responded to this type of accident. Typically, cable barriers just tear bumpers off cars, but they ended up jamming this car's door and trapping the victims inside. Because the fire truck responded with the Jaws of Life, rescuers were able to help Schiers as well.
Schiers has some broken ribs and will be in pain for a while, but is doing OK and should make a full recovery, Esplin said.
Cedar City police are currently investigating both accidents, but they believe heavy rainfall and the pooling of water on I-15 are major contributors. No one else was injured in either of the accidents.
Contributing: Cleon Wall