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HURRICANE, Washington County — An 18-year-old woman was critically injured Saturday night after being ejected in a rollover crash. Police later arrested a 22-year-old man accused of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
The crash occurred about 10:38 p.m. on state Route 9 near Hurricane. One of the vehicles involved in the crash, a truck with two occupants, rolled, ejecting one of the occupants, an 18-year-old woman, according to a police booking affidavit.
"The female had a large gash to her knee, abrasions on her arms, and injuries to her head," the arrest report stated.
The officer said while he was administering aid to the woman, another person who was "involved" said a van was the cause of the collision, but the driver of that vehicle drove away from the scene of the collision, according to the affidavit.
Officers spoke with several witnesses, "who state the van was involved in a road rage incident near 4400 West and State Street," the affidavit says. "They stated the van was tailgating and cutting them off. One driver stated they were in a verbal altercation when they stopped at the traffic light at 3400 West and State Street. The witness stated the vehicle began slamming on its brakes in front of him. One driver stated the van rapidly applied the brakes which caused the driver to swerve, striking another vehicle and causing the vehicle to roll."
Police said the suspect, Usitai Tuiloli, 22, returned to the crash scene later. He told police he had seen a truck driving recklessly, and "stated the driver was flipping him off and yelling at him," according to the affidavit. Tuiloli told police he wanted to follow the truck to see "why the driver was acting this way," the report states.
The affidavit states that Tuiloli said he passed the vehicle after the driver "rapidly applied the brakes," then changed lanes to be in front of the truck, "cutting it off." He said he saw the truck try to pass him on the left, and saw the truck collide with another truck and begin to roll, according to the arrest report.
"Usitai stated he knew he was involved in the accident and didn't remain on scene," the affidavit states.
Police said the believe the crash was "caused by Usitai operating in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons due to his lack of care for the other vehicles around him."
"Usitai was an operator of a vehicle and committed an offense in response to an incident that occurred or escalated upon a roadway and with the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle," the affidavit states. "Usitai retaliated by cutting (off) the other vehicle and speeding away. Multiple statements also state that Usitai was yelling at the other people and vehicles involved. Usitai knew he had been involved in a crash and failed to immediately stop and remain on scene."
Tuiloli was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility for suspicion of failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving serious injury, a second-degree felony, and reckless driving, a class A misdemeanor.
