This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A semi-trailer rig hauling live turkeys failed to negotiate a curve on a rural Sevier County highway, tipped over and crashed on Thursday, critically injuring its driver.

The accident occurred near mile marker 188, north of Marysville, on U.S. 89 about 7:05 a.m.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce said the man behind the wheel of the truck, which was hauling an undisclosed number of the birds to a processing facility, was flown to a hospital by medical helicopter.

Though initially critical and suffering compound fractures, the man's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Royce said.

The highway was partially closed at the crash site as wreckage was cleared and a small fuel spill from the semi's tanks was cleaned up.

Royce did not know if any of the turkeys died in the crash, or how many of the birds were on board the big rig. The turkeys were being off-loaded onto another semi.

The crash remained under investigation.

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