Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Three dead when truck plows into traffic in Cooke County




04:18 PM CDT on Monday, August 3, 2009
WFAA-TV Staff

Three dead when truck plows into traffic in Cooke County


COOKE COUNTY — At least three people were killed Monday when an 18-wheeler plowed into four other vehicles in a construction zone on Interstate 35.

A spokesman for the Cooke County Sheriff's Department said the incident was reported shortly before noon at FM 1306 south of Gainesville.

Officials said the driver of a semi-trailer — identified as 59-year-old James Crayton of Dallas — apparently failed to slow down for other vehicles in a construction zone.

Crayton's big rig first crashed into a 2003 Chevrolet sedan. The car caught fire and the two people who were inside both died. Their names were not released.

The truck then struck a blue Honda Accord with two Yalaha, Florida residents inside. The driver, Carol Whaley, 63, was taken by air ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth for treatment. He was reported in critical condition. Passenger Linda Whaley, 61, was taken to a hospital in Greenville.

The driver of a third car hit by Crayton's truck, a black Nissan sedan, was also killed in the impact. Officials withheld the victim's identity.

The runaway truck finally stopped after hitting another 18-wheeler driven by Charles Haney of Nocona. He suffered minor injuries.

All northbound lanes of I-35 remained closed at midafternoon. Traffic was backed up for 12 miles as investigators pieced together what happened and cleared the wreckage.

Tractor-Trailer Overturns, Separates On I-79



Tractor-Trailer Overturns, Separates On I-79

State Police: Vehicle Cuts Off Tractor-Trailer In Allegheny County Crash

POSTED: 7:27 pm EDT August 3, 2009
UPDATED: 8:28 am EDT August 4, 2009

All lanes are open on Interstate 79, after an accident involving a tractor-trailer.

A tractor-trailer overturned and detached near the exits for Kirwan Heights early Monday evening.Slideshow: Tractor-Trailer Overturns, Separates On I-79A vehicle cut off the tractor-trailer in the southbound lanes at about 7 p.m., trying to move from the middle to the left lane, state police said.The truck went into the median where it eventually rolled over. Despite the force of the accident, the driver walked away with minor injuries.


Pennsylvania Department of Transportation crews were called to repair the guardrail struck by the cab after it separated from the trailer. Cleanup crews were also called to the scene to attend to leaking fuel.Aerial pictures from Sky 4 showed the cab in the shoulder of the southbound lanes and the trailer abandoned in the median and the left shoulder of the northbound lanes. Traffic appeared to be moving in one lane in both directions through 7:45 p.m.State troopers continued to investigate the accident, looking for the other car that was involved.No major injuries were reported in the incident, which has affected both directions of the interstate. Authorities reopened the southbound lanes by the 9 p.m. hour, but crews remained in the northbound lanes to remove the trailer from the scene.Crews worked overnight to clear the lanes in time for the morning commute.