Wife of Spring City mayor in intensive care after collision with garbage truck
By John Hales
8-24-2017
STERLING—It remains to be seen whether Marjorie Monnett, the wife of Spring City Mayor Jack Monnett, will walk again after a traffic accident last week left her without the use of her legs.
Monnett, 69, was conscious and recovering, though still in intensive care, at Utah Valley Medical Center on Tuesday, when the Messenger reached Jack Monnett to ask about his wife’s condition.
“Right now, everything’s hypothetical,” Jack Monnett said.
On Friday, Aug. 18, the vehicle Marjorie Monnett was driving slammed into a North Sanpete Disposal garbage truck that failed to stop at the intersection of Gunnison Reservoir Road and U.S. 89 north of Sterling, according to information from Utah Highway Patrol.
Monnett’s vehicle was demolished in the collision. Monnett was LifeFlighted to Utah Valley Medical Center with one crushed vertebra, and two others that were fractured.
Surgery replaced the crushed vertebra.
“We’re hoping that it takes; it looks like it will,” Jack Monnett said.
As of Tuesday, though, Marjorie Monnett did not have voluntary use of her legs, though they showed signs of reflexive action.
“That’s a positive sign,” Jack Monnett said. “Things are on track. We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks how much rehabilitation can do.” In addition to rehabilitation, doctors expect Marjorie to be in a neck brace for at least six months, Jack Monnett said.
Marjorie Monnett suffered a concussion, and doesn’t remember at all anything about the accident, “which is probably good,” Jack Monnett said.
Jack Monnett said he didn’t know anything about his wife’s condition the day of the accident until he arrived at the hospital after being informed she had been taken there. At the time of her transport, she was listed as being in poor condition.
At the hospital, someone showed him photographs of the accident. “I fell to pieces,” he said. “I lost it. You don’t stand much of a chance against a garbage truck.”
The driver of the North Sanpete Disposal garbage truck was Kevin Taylor, 50, of Ephraim.
According to UHP, Taylor was headed eastbound toward the highway, did not stop at a stop sign at the intersection, and proceeded directly into the path of Marjorie Monnett’s vehicle.
Jack Monnett said the owners of North Sanpete Disposal have been very supportive, their daughter even going to the hospital to support the Monnets.
“It’s been as hard on them as it is on us” he said.
UHP stated that charges are pending against Taylor. As of Tuesday, none had been filed.
