Corporal Ramey Bass (right) and Trooper Kevin Burman. Bass is the investigating officer.
18 Wheelers Collide in North Polk County, CORRIGAN, August 15, 2013 - Shortly before 8 am on August 15, 2013, Leslie Charleston, 63, of Bloomington, was south-bound on US-59 near Hickman Road. Charleston was driving an 18 wheeler loaded with pipes. He suddenly slammed into another 18 wheeler that was hauling a load of logs. The logging truck (driven by Tommy Lovell, 71, of Huntington) attempted to crossover the south-bound lanes of 59 from Hickman Road and failed to yield to Charleston. The collision sent both rigs into the center median. Lovell's rig came to rest in the median and partially on the pavement of the south-bound lanes. Americare Ambulance Service was dispatched to the scene along with the Corrigan Volunteer Fire Department, Corrigan Police Department, and Troopers from the Texas Highway Patrol including Corporal Ramey Bass, Sergeant Nita Bowen, Trooper Kevin Burman, and Trooper Allen Stanton. Leslie Charleston sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Tommy Lovell sustained serious injuries and was flown by PHi Air Medical helicopter to Tyler East Texas Medical Center in critical condition. Traffic on both sides of 59 was partially blocked during investigation and cleanup, and shut down during flight operations. Lovell may be facing a citation for failure to yield right-of-way from a stop sign. At time of press, accident is still be removed from the road and median by Riley Wrecker Service out of Corrigan where both totaled rigs will be stored.
Deputy Dustin Lowery with the Polk County Sheriff's Office was the first law man on the scene. Lowery drove up on the accident only moments after it happened, then summoned emergency personnel.
The logging truck lost it's load.
The pipe truck's load held.
The engine from the logging truck was slung to the other side of the road.
63 year old Leslie Charleston of Bloomington was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
71 year old Tommy Lovell of Huntington didn't fair as well...
Lovell was flown to Tyler East Texas Hospital in critical condition.
Corrigan Police Assisted: (left to right) Chief Darrell Gibson, Officer Jerry Grissom, and Officer Javier Segura.
Representatives from TXDot assisted in traffic control and cleanup.
PHi Air Medical lifts off enroute to Tyler Medical Center.
A loader was brought in to clean up the logs.
James Riley Wrecker Service out of Corrigan cleaned up most of the mess (including both totaled rigs).
Traffic on both sides of 59 was blocked for hours.
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