The family of two women who died after a UHP trooper accidentally ran into them last March in St. George filed a personal injury lawsuit Friday.

UHP spokesperson Brian Hyer said his office was aware of the possibility a lawsuit would be filed and said, "We are aware of it, but are not able to comment on any pending litigation."

Hyer said his agency doesn't actually handle the litigation, but it will be handled by the state's risk management team.

Calls to the family's attorney, Brad Harr, were not immediately returned on Saturday.

Hyer verified the trooper was put on administrative leave when the accident happened, but was later allowed to come back to work after an investigation was completed.

Back in March, Karen Gummow, 71, and Ila Jean Moore, 75, were on their way to a Relief Society meeting at their LDS ward when they made a left turn in their vehicle into the path of a Utah Highway Patrol cruiser responding to another fatal crash on Interstate 15. The trooper, Lars Gardner, was driving with his emergency lights and siren on.

Cimaron Neugebauer