Just after 8:15 p.m. on July 6, two eastbound semi trucks collided on I-70 near milepost 181 north of Moab after one driver attempted a prohibited re-entry, killing the other driver instantly.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, the I-70 crash was triggered by a 2024 Freightliner. The truck was on the exit ramp for the Crescent Junction scenic overlook before cutting across the gore area—the strip of pavement separating the mainline from the exit ramp—to get back onto I-70 eastbound.
As the semi rejoined traffic, another truck rear-ended the slow moving trailer. The truck was heavily damaged and the driver died on impact; the driver and a passenger in the 2024 Freightliner escaped without injuries.
Crews spent about five to six hours clearing the scene, rerouting eastbound traffic through the nearby rest area. The Grand County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the crash to determine if any charges should be filed.
The Utah Department of Transportation’s Annual Average Daily Traffic maps show the rural corridor north of Moab carries roughly 3,500–4,000 vehicles per day, over 1,000 of them semi-trucks.
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