CEDAR CITY — It was a cold night on the mountain when an observant passerby noticed a vehicle had left the road. Due to the vehicle’s condition and temperatures dipping into the lower teens near the Midway Valley on state Route 14, the good Samaritan called 911.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Joshua Johnson said the citizen made the call for emergency services Tuesday at 9:27 p.m. Responders arrived at a location near mile marker 27 in Kane County to find an elderly male in need of medical attention.
“The vehicle was off the road over 100 feet,” Johnson said. “Cedar Mountain Fire was on scene treating the patient for hyperthermia when the trooper arrived. We don’t know for how long, but one male occupant was out there for an extended period and later transported to the hospital.”
St. George Police public information officer Tiffany Mitchell confirmed to St. George News that 77-year-old Arthur Long had been reported missing by family members.
Earlier Tuesday, this was relayed in a department social media post, which has since been updated to report Long has been found.
UHP Trooper Landon Smothers said the patient was already en route to the hospital when he arrived to start coordinating the investigation and removal of the Kia sport utility vehicle.
“He just went off the road with no indication as to why,” Smothers said. “They have been plowing for snow up there, but at the time of the incident there was not any noticeable build up of snow on the road.”
Johnson said he was not the trooper on duty but that Kane County is a large area with minimal emergency response and law enforcement due to low population numbers.
“Really good for that passerby to notice,” he said. “And the fire department responding fast as well. It could have been a lot worse.”
He did not have an update on the patient’s status or information about which hospital he was taken to.
This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.