Bismarck fire truck damaged in accident

Icy roads cause several accidents around county

Icy roads Tuesday led to several accidents including one involving a Bismarck fire truck and generated a warning from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

By late morning, callers were reporting icy conditions on Route OO and in Ste. Genevieve County. MoDOT workers had been out early in the morning pretreating state roads in response to predictions of freezing rain. As the precipitation arrived, roads quickly became slick and motorists began experiencing difficulties.

The department issued an advisory to motorists to use extreme caution while driving on any paved surface, especially on bridges and overpasses where air travels underneath and makes the road’s surface even colder.

Bismarck’s new fire truck was damaged after it slid off the road while responding to a call Tuesday morning.

Bismarck Fire Chief Steve Dickey said firefighters were responding to a vehicle accident on Route N near Trap Rock. He said the driver was driving cautiously because the road was slick. The truck lost traction and slid off the road into a ditch, and ended up resting on the passenger side.

Dickey said no one was hurt and other firefighters continued to the accident call, which turned out to be a non-injury accident.

A tow truck pulled the fire truck out. Dickey said it is now at the fire house, but it is out of service. An insurance adjuster will be down in a few days to look at it.

Dickey said it looks bad but they won’t know the extent of the damage until after the adjuster looks at it. There is damage to the front and passenger side.

He said one of their reserve trucks was put back in service until the new truck is fixed. The new truck does have full coverage by insurance.

The rural fire department just got the 2008 Pearce truck in March. Before that their newest truck was a 1987 model that belongs to the city. They were able to get the truck with a U.S. Homeland Security grant.

Before warmer temperatures in the afternoon melted the icy roads, the Missouri Highway Patrol responded to several accidents, including a rollover on U.S. 67.

Highway Patrol reports provide the following information about Tuesday’s accidents.

Two accidents occurred five minutes apart on U.S. 67. The first occurred at 9:40 a.m., .5 mile south of Route V in Jefferson County. Bonne Terre resident Richard S. Brand, 39, was northbound in a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu at a speed too fast for conditions. He lost control of the vehicle on the ice and slid across the center median into the southbound lanes. The left side of the Malibu struck the left side of a 2008 Kenworth tractor trailer driven by Courtney L. Roby, 42, of Fairview Heights, Ill.

Both men had been wearing seat belts. Brand received minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Memorial Hospital. No injuries were listed for Roby.

Damage was listed as moderate to the Malibu and minor to the tractor trailer.

The second accident on U.S. 67 occurred at 9:45 a.m., .5 mile south of Big River North in St. Francois County. A 1999 Chevrolet Blazer driven by Bonne Terre resident Deborah S. Petty, 55, was southbound on the highway when the vehicle headed into the grass median. The Blazer overturned, coming to rest on its top.

Petty, who had not been wearing a seat belt, suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Parkland South Hospital. Passenger Joseph M. Petty, 31, of Bonne Terre, also received minor injuries. Joseph Petty, who had been wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to the same hospital.

Damage to the Blazer was listed as total.

Two area residents received moderate injuries Tuesday in unrelated accidents in Washington and Crawford counties, according to the Highway Patrol reports.

Jared R. Degonia, 26, of Park Hills, was southbound on Route V, .3 mile south of Route C in Crawford County at 2:45 p.m. when he lost control of his 2006 Ford E 150 on the ice-covered roadway. The vehicle slid off the left side of the road and overturned.

Degonia, who had been wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to Salem Hospital. Damage to the Ford was listed as extensive.

In Washington County, a 1998 GMC 1500 overturned on Highway 21, .2 mile north of Furnace Creek Road.

 Bradley S. Wright, 16, of Mineral Point, was northbound at 7:45 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle on the ice-covered road. The vehicle slid off the right side of the road, overturned and struck a tree.

Bradley, who had been wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to Washington County Memorial Hospital. Damage to the GMC was listed as total.

A Potosi woman received minor injuries at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday when her 2000 Chrysler overturned in Iron County.

According to reports, Ellen A. Walls, 37, was eastbound on Missouri 32, 4 miles west of Banner, when she lost control of her vehicle on ice. The vehicle ran off the road, struck an embankment and overturned.

Walls, who had been wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to Iron County Hospital in Pilot Knob. Damage to the Chrysler was listed as total.

In an earlier accident that occurred at 8:45 p.m. Monday, an Ellington woman received minor injuries when the 1994 Oldsmobile Achieva in which she was riding went off the road in Washington County.

According to Missouri Highway Patrol reports, Ellington resident Robert Shane, 62, was southbound on Missouri 21, .5 mile south of Highway 32, when the Achieva went off the right side of the road and struck a ditch.

Passenger Terry L. Sanders, 58, was taken by ambulance to Washington County Memorial Hospital. No injuries were listed for Shane. Both had been wearing seat belts. Damage to the Achieva was listed as minor.

 

 

 

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