43 year old Clayton Burgess, of Leggett, is wheeled to a waiting helicopter in Onalaska.
Driver Takes Out Utility Pole in Violent Wreck, Alcohol Suspected, ONALASKA, August 13, 2019 - At approximately 8:55 pm on August 13, 2019, a red 2017 Nissan Titan, driven by Clayton Burgess, 43, of Leggett, was north-bound on FM-356 North. Burgess' vehicle left the pavement to the right, proceeded through a ditch, jumped an embankment, crossed a parking lot and slammed into a utility pole (across the street from Hanson Hardware). The impact snapped the pole. The pole appeared to smash the front the front of his truck (including the cab). The utility pole with wires that extended across the road to adjoining poles appeared to have sling shotted the utility pole into the middle of 356. The driver of a south-bound gray 2018 Ford Explorer struck the pole and heavily damaged his vehicle. Allegiance Ambulance Service was dispatched to the scene along with the Onalaska Volunteer Fire Department, Onalaska Police Department, Corporal Austin McCracken with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, and Troopers Donny Akers, John Allen, and Ashlee White with the Texas Highway Patrol. Burgess was cut from his truck by firemen. The driver of the Ford Explorer wasn't injured. Burgess was transported by ambulance to a landing zone in Onalaska where a Hermann Life Flight Helicopter landed and flew him to Hermann Hospital in Houston. Alcohol is suspected. Burgess reportedly has prior charges of DWI. Pending toxicology reports, Burgess may be facing another DWI. A crew from Sam Houston Electric Cooperative was dispatched to replace the broken utility pole. Both vehicles were recovered by George White & Sons Wrecker Service and will be stored in Onalaska.
Stop having to buy new tires every six months! FIX IT ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Burgess was driving this 2017 Nissan Titan north-bound on FM-356 when he left the pavement and struck a utility pole.
Burgess' pickup jumped this embankment at a parking lot.
Burgess' front driver's side tire sits exactly where the utility pole was that he slammed into.
The driver of this 2018 Ford Explorer was south-bound on 356 and struck the pole that was slung out onto the pavement from wires that had extended across the road to other poles (accident investigator, Trooper Donny Akers pictured at left).
A crew from Sam Houston Electric Cooperative was dispatched to replace the destroyed utility pole.
Life Flight lifts off enroute to Hermann Hospital in Houston.
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