Accident Reports
Car runs stop sign, gets hit by train
A suspected drunk driver ran the stop sign at the intersection of Henderson Grove Road and Lee Henderson Road, went across the roadway, through a yard and came to rest on the railroad tracks, where a passing train slammed into the car, knocking it from the tracks. The accident happened on August 7 at roughly 10 p.m. Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Hendrick filed the accident report.
Raymond Staples Jr. of Lewisport told Hendrick he fell asleep at the wheel while driving north on Henderson Grove Road in his 2000 Pontiac Grand Am, went through the intersection, across the road, through a yard and up onto the CSX railroad tracks, where his car became stuck on the tracks. Staples said he called 911, but the call went to Indiana and not local dispatch.
Staples managed to get out of the car before an approaching train slammed into the car’s front end, spun the car around and off the tracks where it came to rest on its top. The train stopped after hitting the car.
Hendrick wrote on the accident summary page that Staples smelled strongly of alcohol. He said Staples had a PBT of .074. The Grand Am sustained very severe damage. A wrecker from Bob’s Garage removed the car.
Motorcycle wrecks
A motorcycle rider escaped injury when she wrecked her Harley-Davidson on state Route 144, 10 miles south of Hawesville. The accident happened on August 31 at roughly 8:45 a.m. Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Emmick filed the accident report.
Amanda L. Snyder of Hawesville told Emmick as she rode her 2005 Harley east on state Route 144 she entered into a curve and lost control of the bike and went off the roadway. She laid the bike over on its side, and it threw her off the bike. The bike slid into the back of a 2008 Ford F-150 owned by William Morris of Hawesville. After the bike hit the truck, it veered off and over a hill before coming to rest. Snyder came to rest at the rear of the truck.
The motorcycle sustained severe damage and a wrecker from Bob’s Garage removed the bike. The truck sustained minor damage, but did not require a tow.
