Ridgway man killed in rollover

By The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 07/30/2008 04:14:16 PM MDT

A Ridgway man was killed Tuesday in a one-car accident at the Dallas Divide.

Brian Peters, 54, was driving a silver 2002 Toyota Tundra that was pulling a trailer just after noon Tuesday on westbound Colorado 62 at mile marker 11, the Colorado State Patrol said in a news release. He veered off the north side of the road, overcorrected and went into the eastbound lanes. The truck rolled, and the trailer came loose.

Peters, who was wearing a seat belt, was killed.

His passenger, a 73-year-old woman from Dearborn, Mich., was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction with moderate injuries, the patrol said.

Jackknifed pickup, trailer block Hwy. 97

Jackknifed pickup, trailer block Hwy. 97

Posted: July 31, 2008 12:57 AM

Evening rush-hour traffic jammed; driver unhurt, gets ticket

From KTVZ.COM news sources

A pickup truck towing another vehicle on a trailer drifted into the guardrail on southbound Highway 97 near Sunriver Wednesday evening and it jackknifed, blocking traffic through the evening commute.

The 1984 Dodge pickup truck and 20-foot trailer crashed shortly after 5:30 p.m. near the Cottonwood Road exit, south of Lava Butte, said Deschutes County sheriff's Sgt. Joe DeLuca.

Driver Henry Root, 69, of Gilchrist, was unhurt, but his towed vehicle had substantial damage - and he got a ticket for failure to maintain his lane of travel, said DeLuca said.

Arriving deputies found the accident blocking the highway's southbound lane.

The crash blocked both lanes of Highway 97 for nearly 90 minutes - causing a miles-long rush hour backup - while recovery vehicles cleared the scene, aided by sheriff's deputies and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Driver killed, passenger hurt in Dallas Divide crash

Driver killed, passenger hurt in Dallas Divide crash

Click-2-Listen

Click-2-Listen

By BEVERLY CORBELL
The Daily Sentinel

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

An accident on Dallas Divide on state Highway 62 west of Ridgway claimed the life of Ridgway resident Brian Peters, 54, at 12:10 p.m. Tuesday. Peters was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:30 p.m., according to the Colorado State Patrol.

His passenger, Marlene Zerger, 74, of Dearborn, Mich., suffered moderate injuries and was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.

According to the State Patrol report, Peters was driving westbound in a 2002 Toyota pickup and towing a trailer when they went off the north side of the highway. He apparently overcorrected, came back on the roadway, then rolled 2 1/2 times.

Both Peters and Zerger were wearing seat belts. Neither was ejected during the crash.

E-mail Beverly Corbell at beverly.corbell@gjsentinel.com.

Steven's mother: 'He was an incredible kid' Pick Up Towing Trailer Looses Control

Story Created: Jul 22, 2008 at 11:02 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 24, 2008 at 1:10 PM MDT

By Nicole Navarro and Vanessa Brown

Video

BOISE - Steven Thompson loved to run.

His personal best in the mile was just over four and a half minutes. But it wasn't good enough - he wanted to be that much better.

"He was just a junior and he had a lot of goals this year," said Steven's mother, Gina. "He liked to work hard."

Steven, 17, was killed in a horrific traffic accident Tuesday on Highway 55.

He was headed to a cross country camp when a truck pulling a trailer lost control and smashed into the car he was riding in. The impact killed Steven and sent five others to the hospital - including two of his classmates and Centennial High School's assistant cross country coach Glenn Mabey.

"I saw him the morning of the crash and he was running around in his funny shades, hanging out having a good time," said Jordan Leisure, a friend of Thompson. "That's the last image I'm going to have of him and it's a really good last image."

His mother, fighting back tears, said it was hard recalling all the delightful things about her son. There were just too many to remember.

"He was an incredible kid," she said. "I wish I could tell you all the wonderful stories."

Idaho State Police identified Ryan Howard, 38, of Texas, as the driver who caused the accident. Howard was driving a Dodge Durango pulling a trailer when police said he lost control and jackknifed.

He smashed into a Subaru, killing Thompson and also ran into a van. Five people, including Howard and two other teens were taken to the hospital. Maybey is still in critical condition. Austin Stalling is in fair condition while Michael Dobkins was treated and released.

On Tuesday, friends at Centennial paused to remember their fallen friend. A profile page was also made on Facebook entitled "In Loving Memory of Steven Thompson."

"What an inspiration to all of us," said Tyler, who wrote on the page. "We love you, bro."

"It makes you just want to help people around you who are feeling really sad and really down and you really want to help them out, it's just a real shame," Leisure said.

On Thursday, the family of Stalling issued a statement.

"We would like to thank the entire community, and especially the track and cross country teams from Centennial, Eagle, and all the area high schools for your prayers and support."

"Austin continues to recover and improve daily, and we are so grateful to the excellent care he's receiving at Saint Alphonsus. We ask for your continuing support of all four families involved in this tragedy."

Steven's mother said she doesn't know what she's going to do next. The pain of losing her son is so new.

"I'm really going to miss him," she said. "I can't even imagine how hard it's going to be."

A memorial fund for Steven Thompson and a donation account for Coach Glenn Mabey have been set up at Capital Educators Credit Union.

Those interested in helping the victims of this week's tragic automobile accident can do so by making a donation at any Captial Educators Federal Credit Union.

Furniture spill causes chaos

Furniture spill causes chaos

By: The Mississauga News

July 23, 2008 07:59 AM - There is traffic chaos on eastbound Hwy. 403 this morning after a pickup truck lost its trailer, spilling a load of furniture across three lanes of the busy highway.
The accident happened between Hurontario St. and Cawthra Rd., just before 7 a.m. after the trailer of the pickup truck came loose and flipped onto its side, strewing furniture onto the road.
The left passing and HOV lanes of the highway are still open but the three other lanes are blocked.

Traffic initially had to get by on the shoulder of the road until Ontario Provincial Police and other emergency services arrived on the scene.
There are no injuries.

OPP Const. Sally Stewart told The News from the force's Orillia traffic headquarters that the roadway is expected to reopen about 8:30 a.m.
jstewart@mississauga.net

MEMA Trailer Wreck Halts Northbound Traffic

Jackson 07/23/08
MEMA Trailer Wreck Halts Northbound Traffic

An accident involving a state vehicle shut down part of a Jackson interstate highway Wednesday morning.

It happened just before 10:00 in the northbound lanes of I-55 where it joins I-20 in south Jackson.

A travel-trailer being pulled by a truck from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency turned over. The trailer was off on the shoulder, but all northbound traffic had to be blocked while a tow truck got the trailer upright and out of the way.

There were no reports of injuries, and the highway was clear and back open by 11.

Truck, trailer veers off 90 (Trailer Sway)

Truck, trailer veers off 90

By MARGARET BAKER
mbbaker@sunherald.com

MARGARET BAKER/SUN HERALD

A truck pulling a car on a trailer ran off U.S. 90 in Pascagoula on Monday morning, tying up traffic briefly.

A pickup and a trailer veered off U.S. 90 this morning, causing minor traffic delays in the eastbound lane about a half-mile west of the Pascagoula High Rise Bridge.

There were no injuries.

The truck's driver did not want to be identified but he was headed east on U.S. 90 in a pickup carrying a trailer with an old car on top of it when the accident happened about 9:15 a.m. this morning.

The pickup and trailer ran off the road, with the car that was being towed thrown off of the trailer. The accident is now cleared up.

Man, 24, killed after swerving to avoid errant trailer tire

Man, 24, killed after swerving to avoid errant trailer tire

Posted by The Grand Rapids Press July 05, 2008 11:00AM

Categories: Breaking News

KALKASKA COUNTY -- An Oak Park man was killed and four others injured on M-72 Friday evening when a spare tire on a trailer came loose in front of him and he swerved into the path of an oncoming car, police said. The 24-year-old victim of the 6:40 p.m. crash was not identified by authorities.

The man's car was immediately behind the trailer, which was being pulled by a truck, when the tire broke free near West Bear Lake Road in Bear Lake Township about 14 miles east of Kalkaska. Sheriff's deputies continue to investigate the crash.

Teen in serious condition after trailer accident

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:10:07 GMT

Teen in serious condition after trailer accident

PRICES CORNER, Del. (AP) Delaware State Police say a Wilmington teen is in serious condition after a trailer came loose and hit the teen's car.

According to police, 24-year-old Andrew Downing of Wilmington was hauling a cargo trailer on Route 2 when the trailer came loose about 11 a.m. Thursday.

Police say the trailer hit 17-year-old Daniel Billinger's Hyundai Elantra in the westbound lanes of Route 2 near the Route 141 overpass.

Emergency crews had to free Billinger from the car and took him to Christiana Hospital in serious condition.

Police say Downing has been cited with operating an unsafe motor vehicle.

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )

Teen hurt when loose U-Haul trailer slams car

Cranston Heights firefighters work to extricate a 17-year-old from the vehicle he was driving after a U-Haul trailer detached from a pickup and collided with the car.

Firefighters extract victim from car in Prices Corner crash

By TERRI SANGINITI • The News Journal • July 25, 2008

A 17-year-old Wilmington boy was critically injured Thursday morning when a U-Haul trailer detached from a truck and collided with his car in Prices Corner,

The crash happened at about 11:05 a.m. when a 2000 Hyundai Elantra, driven by Daniel Billinger, was heading west on Kirkwood Highway, state police Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh said.

An eastbound pickup, operated by Andrew Downing, 24, of Wilmington, lost its U-Haul trailer under the Del. 141 overpass.

The pickup was towing a box-style cargo trailer that crossed into the westbound lanes and collided with the Hyundai.

The victim was trapped in his car for about 30 minutes before Elsmere firefighters got him out, said Richard D. Krett, assistant chief of New Castle County Paramedics.

The victim was treated on the scene for a fractured left leg and internal injuries, Krett said.

He was taken to Christiana Hospital in critical condition.

Downing had rented the trailer from the Shell Station at Kirkwood Highway and Duncan Road, police said.

Downing was cited for having an unsafe motor vehicle, Whitmarsh said.

The road was restricted to one lane in both directions for about an hour.

This is not the first time a U-Haul detached and caused a crash on Kirkwood Highway.

On May 15, 2004, Sara Eschavarria was driving east on Kirkwood Highway through the intersection of Upper Pike Creek Road, when a U-Haul trailer on a westbound car driven by Roger Mayfield, of Florida, detached and slammed into Eschavarria's car.

The car was sliced open and flipped over, trapping the driver for 25 minutes and leaving her with serious injuries.

Eschavarria filed a federal lawsuit against Mayfield and U-Haul in May 2005.

U-Haul was later dropped from the case after settling out of court.

During a March 2007 trial, the jury ruled in favor of Eschavarria and against Mayfield in the amount of $125,000 for compensatory damages.

Fatal rollover accident slows traffic near Rothbury

Fatal rollover accident slows traffic near Rothbury

Posted: July 20, 2008 04:50 PM

Updated: July 20, 2008 05:35 PM

ROTHBURY, Mich. (WOOD) -- A 51-year-old woman was killed this afternoon after she was ejected from the SUV she was riding in when the driver lost control and rolled the vehicle.

The wreck took place around 1:30 this afternoon on southbound US-31 and Winston Road in Rothbury.

The Oceana County Sheriff's Department says there were four people in the vehicle - two adults and two children - when the driver lost control of the vehicle and the trailer it was towing.

The driver is not hurt, and the two children - 9 months and 22 months - were taken to the hospital for examination but were not seriously injured.

The woman who died was the only person not wearing a seatbelt.

Trailer hits mobile home

Please note, the time/date stamp on the photos is incorrect. These photos are from July 22, 2008.


Trailer hits mobile home

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 6:55 p.m.

NBC25 viewer Stacey Marquand sent these photos to NBC25 News.

She says this demolition derby car was on its way to the Tuscola County Fair when the trailer came loose, flew off the back and hit the house at 5174 center street in Fairgrove.

She was brushing her teeth at the time and thought a tornado hit her home at first.

Marquand says she thanks the Lord some of her children were down the street at the time and her young daughter was in the bedroom safe.

It knocked all the stuff off the walls and knocked the TV almost off the stand.

Please note, the time/date stamp on the photos is incorrect. These photos are from July 22, 2008.

Trailer becomes unhitched, causes accident; Maud motorist, passenger die

JASON SMITH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The driver of this pickup was killed Monday afternoon when his vehicle struck a loose trailer on SH 9 near South Rock Creek Road. A passenger in the pickup was airlifted from the scene to an Oklahoma City hospital and died hours later.

By Kim Morava

Staff Writer

Posted Jun 30, 2008 @ 11:07 PM

Last update Jun 30, 2008 @ 11:09 PM

---

TECUMSEH, Okla. —

An 83-year-old Maud man was killed Monday afternoon on SH 9 when his truck hit a loose trailer that became unhitched from another pickup. His passenger, also 83, died hours later at an Oklahoma City hospital.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the accident occurred about 2:14 p.m. on SH 9, about 100 yards east of South Rock Creek Road.
Raymond Taylor, 83, died at the scene. His passenger, Grady D. Strawn, 83, died late Monday night at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, the OHP said.
The accident occurred as Darrell W. Mackey, 62, Konawa, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet pickup and pulling a 15-foot trailer, the OHP said.
Mackey was eastbound while two other vehicles — a 1988 Dodge Dakota pickup driven by Taylor and a 1995 Dodge Intrepid driven by Amy M. Schott, 30, Weleetka, weremy M. Schott, 30, Weleetka, were westbound on SH 9.

The OHP said the trailer on Mackey’s pickup detached and entered the westbound lane. The trailer was struck by Taylor’s Dodge pickup. Schott attempted to avoid hitting the Dodge pickup and ended up hitting the trailer, the report shows.
Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene from massive head, internal and external injuries, the OHP said. He was pinned in the wreckage for about one hour before being freed by Tecumseh firefighters.
A Medi Flight helicopter ambulance landed on the highway and transported Strawn to Oklahoma City, where he was admitted at OU Medical Center in critical condition with head, arm, leg, internal trunk and external injuries, the OHP said. Strawn died about 9 p.m. Monday night.
The other two drivers were not injured, the report shows. The patrol said Taylor and Strawn were not wearing seat belts.
Trooper Kevin Logan investigated the accident with assistance from other troopers and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office. Tribal police also worked traffic control and REACT EMS paramedics worked triage at the scene

Trailer Comes Loose from Truck, Causes Accident

Trailer Comes Loose from Truck, Causes AccidentPosted:July 3, 2008 01:07 PM EDT
Four people were injured Wednesday afternoon in a two vehicle accident south of Early, Iowa. The Sac county sheriff says a trailer being pulled by a pick up truck came loose and fishtailed across Highway 71, striking an oncoming car.

The driver of the car, 36-year-old June Milligan, and a passenger, 13-year-old Kadysha Lent, both of Laurens, Iowa had be to extricated from the car with the jaws of life. Both were transported to Mercy Medical Center where they are listed in fair condition.Two other passengers, 36-year-old Theresa Stevens and 9-year-old Alexis Milligan were treated and released with minor injuries. The truck driver, 44-year-old Bill Riesselman of Halbur, Iowa was not injured.

The sheriff says the wrong sized ball hitch was used for the trailer, causing it to lift off the truck. The investigation is continuing.

Man dead after Bradenton crash Loose Trailer

Man dead after Bradenton crashLast Edited: Monday, 30 Jun 2008, 5:25 AM EDTCreated: Monday, 30 Jun 2008, 5:25 AM EDT

BRADENTON - A single-truck crash on Interstate 75 in Manatee County turned out to be fatal.Deputies say the driver lost control on the highway and died after being thrown from his car. Witnesses say his trailer became loose and caused the truck to roll over.His wife was also in the truck and was injured.Investigators have not released their names or the condition of the woman

4 Children Injured In ATV Crash Loose Trailer

Children Injured In ATV CrashPosted:July 2, 2008 07:10 PM EDT
WATERTOWN, Tenn. - Four children are recovering from an ATV-related crash in Watertown.The children were injured Tuesday when a couple pulled them in a trailer attached to an all-terrain vehicle.The trailer came loose and flipped.Investigators said the couple was traveling about 25 miles an hour.Neighbors called for emergency responders.

"We was inside having lunch when the four wheeler came up with the six people," said Clark Beadle, a neighbor who lives near the crash site. "They was injured, hurt, hysterical and we called for help.

The children were 1-9 years old. Investigators said the youngest child suffered a serious skull injury. He was transported by medical helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.The other three children sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
They are recovering at home.ATV dealers said the couple broke several rules. They said these vehicles should not be used on pavement.

They also say that they should not be used to pull trailers with children in them.The accident draws attention to the dangers of ATVs especially for children. In 2006, 555 people died in ATV accidents, according to the latest government studies. Twenty percent of those fatalities included children.

From 2003-2006, 120 people died in Tennessee in ATV-related incidents. That's the sixth most in the nation."We recommend everyone wear helmets when riding an ATV," said Ron Yearwood of Precision Motorsports.

Yearwood said he doesn't sell an ATV without talking about safety first.While ATV's can be fun and useful, Yearwood said carrying kids behind a four wheeler on a trailer doesn't qualify as either.

"These things are designed to hold trailers, but obviously you shouldn't be hauling children in a trailer behind it," he said. "Just like you shouldn't have kids in the back of a pickup truck.""Don't like to see kids on a trailer behind a four-wheeler. Common sense tells you that's not something that needs to be," Beadle said

Truck mishap disrupts traffic on Rte. 109

Truck mishap disrupts traffic on Rte. 109

By ERIN PLUMMEReplummer@citizen.com
Article Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008

NEW HAMPSHIRE ELECTRIC Co-op crew works to reposition a downed wire after an accident that dislodged a pole on Route 109.(Erin Plummer/Staff Photo)

A construction trailer accident on Route 109 resulted in a downed utility pole and closed off most of the road for much of Tuesday afternoon.At 1:24 p.m. on Tuesday, fire and rescue crews were called to the scene of an accident on Route 109 by Black's Landing Road involving a Mack dump truck towing a backhoe on a construction trailer.

Moultonborough Police said the probable cause of the accident was when the truck went into the soft shoulder and "tapped" a tree. The bindings which were securing the backhoe to the trailer snapped, causing it to flip over into a utility pole and bring down the pole and wires.

The driver was treated on the scene by Stewart's Ambulance and was taken to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia with undisclosed injuries.A section of Route 109 was closed to through traffic following the accident as the trailer and truck took up one side of the road with the backhoe and pole taking up the other.

The road was blocked at the intersection of Route 171 and in front of Suissevale Avenue.Crews from the New Hampshire Electric Co-op worked to replace the pole and reset the wires.The Moultonborough Fire and Police Departments responded to the call with Stewart's Ambulance and the New Hampshire State Police.

A trailer being pulled by the SUV became uncoupled

Police blotter June 30, 2008

ACCIDENT: A sport utility vehicle driven by Mary Elizabeth Arnold, 36, of 406 S. Lancaster St., Jonestown, was traveling north on Route 72 when Arnold lost control while descending a hill at Swatara Creek at 6:30 p.m. Friday, state police at Jonestown said. A trailer being pulled by the SUV became uncoupled, forcing the SUV into a guardrail. No injuries were reported, but the vehicle was towed.

Crash injures 2 near Ketchum Lost Control Of Trailer

Crash injures 2 near Ketchum

Quick-thinking passerby pulls two people from burning wreckage
Staff report

Two people were taken to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center with injuries Saturday after a sports utility vehicle turned sideways and exploded into flames on Idaho Highway 75 north of Ketchum.The two were rescued at the scene by a witness in another vehicle, who acted quickly to remove the SUV's windshield and pull out both passengers along with their two dogs, according to a Ketchum Fire Department official.

The accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Highway 75 near Eagle Creek. Ketchum Fire Department Capt. Tom Ancona said a GMC Yukon pulling a camping trailer made a sudden move to avoid hitting another vehicle. That led to a chain of events that almost turned deadly."Apparently the driver of the suburban made an evasive move to miss another vehicle," Ancona said. "When he did, the trailer lost control, slid sideways and when it rolled, it took the truck (sideways) with it.

"The trailer was carrying four propane cylinders that began leaking, released all the propane and ignited."The ignition source for the fire was sparks and propane," said Ancona. "It basically burned the wheels off the vehicle for all intents and purposes. Everything was totaled."Ancona said a witness driving a tow truck had pulled over after the crash, then acted quickly."There were two occupants in the SUV," Ancona said.

"This guy driving by in a wrecker took the windshield out and (removed) them along with two dogs."The two passengers were later taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center in Ketchum and treated for injuries, Ancona said. Authorities had no names for the two hospitalized, nor had they identified the man in the tow truck."If they hadn't gotten out, it would have been ugly,"

Ancona added.Fire crews responded with three engine companies, needing 1,500 gallons of water and three hours to clean up the road. A state transportation department dump truck and backhoe were used to clean up the wreckage.

Driver killed as pickup fishtails With Loose Trailer

Driver killed as pickup fishtails

By Susan Robertson The Virginia Gazette
June 28, 2008
JAMES CITY - A single-vehicle crash on Interstate 64 Friday morning killed one man and created a domino effect of traffic jams on county roads.

The accident occurred at 8:16 a.m. just east of the Norge-Croaker interchange. A 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck towing a small camper lost control and ran off the road. It’s unclear why. “The camper started to fishtail,” said Sgt. Michelle Cotten, spokesman for the State Police. “It hit a ditch and went sideways, causing the trailer to flip.” When the camper began to roll, it pulled the truck over with it.

The driver was ejected and his truck landed on top of him.
A passenger was thrown to the back of the truck and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Neither the passenger nor driver was wearing a seatbelt. Cotten said the driver was a man from Baltimore.

She added that it appeared neither speed nor alcohol was a factor. I-64 was backed up for miles for several hours. When the camper flipped it burst apart, spilling furniture and other items onto the highway. By 10:30 a.m., standstill traffic stretched from the crash site to the New Kent line. Cars and trucks took every opportunity to get out of the crunch.

Many drivers used the Norge exit as an escape and later the Toano exit near Anderson’s Corner. That created backups on Richmond Road, Croaker Road and Rochambeau Drive. The stream of traffic filling local roads created problems for James City Police.

Officer Mike Spearman said police responded to several subsequent accidents during the morning until about 1 p.m. One of those was a fender-bender with no injuries near the I-64 interchange at Croaker Road. State Police, who normally handle accidents on county roads, asked James City Police to work the crash scene. Spearman said most of the county accidents Friday morning weren’t serious.

Hamilton girls recovering after Virginia crash claims family

Hamilton girls recovering after Virginia crash claims family

Jun 28, 2008 11:18 PM

Paul Legall Hamilton spectatorHAMILTON–Two girls who survived a collision that claimed their parents and sister on a Virginia highway are recovering in an American hospital.The Hamilton couple, Bill and Sandra Smith, were en route to Myrtle Beach, S.C., with their three girls Thursday evening when Bill lost control of their 2005 Dodge Durango, which was towing an 11-metre fifth-wheel trailer.

The SUV and trailer went across the median of I-77 and plowed into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer, according to Virginia state police. Bill, 33, Sandra, 35, and daughter Kaylee, 7, were all pronounced dead at the scene. Virginia police said the truck driver, who wasn’t injured, had no time to swerve out of the way.

A witness said the Smith vehicle was airborne when it crashed across the centre of the four-lane highway. Madison, 9, was airlifted to the Wake Forest University Baptist Center in Winston Salem, N.C. Jenna, 3, was driven by ambulance to the same hospital.Madison had surgery yesterday for head trauma and is doing well, said Virginia State Trooper O.J. Lilly. Jenna was treated for a broken collarbone.Both girls are expected to make a full recovery, Lilly said.

The depth of the tragedy has just started to sink in for residents of the working-class Hamilton Mountain neighbourhood where the young couple had lived for about seven years. Bill was a bus driver with the Hamilton Street Railway while Sandra had worked for several years in the accounting department of Turkstra Lumber. Edith Mann, who lives next door to the Smiths, described the couple as great neighbours whose children had adopted her as a surrogate grandmother. She said the family often took trips with their trailer and were planning a straight run for Myrtle Beach when they pulled out early Thursday morning.

The Smiths had been travelling about 14 hours when the collision occurred. Mann said Bill had few surviving relatives in the Hamilton area. He had no brothers or sisters and his mother had died several years ago. His father is elderly and suffers from dementia, she said.She said Sandra’s parents and younger brother have gone to the medical centre in Winston Salem.Mann’s son Don said he got to know the Smiths through his mother and recently went for a motorcycle ride with Bill, who had bought a Honda Shadow this year.“He was the kind of guy who cheered you up if you were down,” he recalled.

There were still two cars in the driveway and the backyard was strewn with toys where the children were playing only a few days ago. An impromptu shrine had sprung up on the front porch where people had left flowers, cards and stuffed animals.

Updated Two killed in Ohatchee accident

Two killed in Ohatchee accidentBy Lisa Rogers,

Times Staff WriterPublished June 28, 2008OHATCHEE

— Divers from the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department searched the waters of Boiling Creek south of Ohatchee to make sure there were no more victims following a Friday morning wreck that claimed two lives.John Mauk, 59, and his 19-year-old daughter, Samantha Mauk, both of Bridgeport in Jackson County, died in the wreck that happened just before 11 a.m. on Alabama Highway 77,Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown said.

Details about what caused the wreck still are being investigated, but a pickup pulling a utility trailer was headed north on Alabama Highway 77 and an 18-wheeler was headed south, Brown said.Investigators still are trying to determine if the trailer malfunctioned and swerved into the oncoming lane or if the 18-wheeler crossed over, Brown said. However, the driver of the 18-wheeler driver lost control and crossed the northbound lane on the bridge, went through the guard rail and in the water.

The driver of the pickup and another passerby dove into the water and pulled the man and woman out of the truck.Brown said he wanted to make sure no other victims were in the truck and called for assistance from the sheriff’s department dive team.“We appreciate Sheriff (Todd) Entrekin and the dive team helping us out,” Brown said.The divers were able to check the truck’s cab and the area around the truck and found nothing.The truck’s diesel fuel spilled into the water, but it was contained in that area, Brown said.The Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency worked to contain the diesel spill, and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the Environmental Protection Agency were called.

Mauk apparently was on his way to pick up a load in Sylacauga, and the box trailer was empty. Mauk apparently worked for Storey Trucking in Henagar.Cranes already were set up early Friday afternoon to raise the truck and trailer from the water. Alabama Department of Transportation crews also were working to make repairs to the guard rail. It is unclear how long Alabama 77 will remain closed.Brown said autopsies are being done as a routine part of the investigation.

Runaway trailer damages Lafayette Comcast office

Runaway trailer damages Lafayette Comcast office

Updated:June 28, 2008 02:04

AM EDTLafayette, Ind. (WLFI) - A trailer ran into the Comcast cable TV office at 325 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette Friday night, but no one was injured.Lafayette police say a truck driver reported he hit a bump at about 9:30, as his truck was southbound on Creasy Lane. The trailer became detached from the tractor, crossed Creasy, and ran into the Comcast building's southwest doors.