KANAB, UT—In a development that has left both residents and local tumbleweeds rather surprised, Kanab Police Chief Thomas Cram has been charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, proving once and for all that no one—not even the chief of police—can escape the long arm of the law (unless you’re jaywalking; then you might get a stern wave).
Court documents reveal that Cram, 62, was behind the wheel of his city-owned Ford F-150 police truck last November when he struck a 58-year-old man at the intersection of 300 South and 100 East. Witnesses say the pedestrian was legally crossing the street in a crosswalk—a bold move, considering Kanab drivers treat those painted lines like abstract art.
The Utah Highway Patrol confirmed the pedestrian sustained serious injuries, but Chief Cram stayed on duty following the incident, perhaps under the assumption that his glowing reputation as the town’s most prolific parking ticket writer would serve as a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Kanab City Manager Kyler Ludwig defended the decision not to place Cram on leave during an internal review. “We determined it wasn’t warranted,” Ludwig said, adding that “crosswalk awareness” training for the chief has since been scheduled. It will take place at an undisclosed location—likely the same crosswalk where the incident occurred, now humorously referred to by locals as “Cram’s Corner.”
The charges, filed this week, mark a rare moment when a small-town police chief faces the full weight of justice for failing to remember that pedestrians exist. A still image captured right before the crash shows the pedestrian in the crosswalk and Cram’s truck approaching, possibly distracted by the pressing need to find a good spot for the next truck-to-truck officer meeting. Witnesses speculate he was mentally debating whether the intersection would work well for a “safety meeting.”
Locals have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the incident, with one commenter joking, “If the chief can’t yield, maybe we should install speed bumps shaped like donuts.” Another suggested renaming crosswalks to “Copwalks” so officers might respect them more.
As for Chief Cram, he’s expected to appear in Kanab City Justice Court soon. In the age of non-statements to reporters, he may have said, “Look, I might’ve missed seeing the guy, but I didn’t miss the irony. Nobody enforces the rules like Kanab—not even Kanab! Wait…”
For now, Kanab residents are keeping a wary eye on their crosswalks. After all, it’s not everywhere that you have to look both ways for oncoming traffic and the police.
