Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 13, 1995 TAG: 9506130053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: F.J. GALLAGHER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``Apparently the tires went off the edge and the truck slipped down into the [creek],'' Roanoke County Police Officer T.L. Wyatt said.
The Roanoke Valley has been soaked by thunderstorms that have dumped nearly 2 1/2 inches of rain on the area since Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
``This ... cold front is a little strong for this time of year,'' said Tim Boyd, a meteorological technician at the Weather Service's Roanoke office. ``A southerly flow is bringing all the moisture in here, providing fuel for the system. ... It's more like springtime."
The Weather Service has forecast no additional storms for the coming week, Boyd said.
The dump truck belonging to Trees Inc. of Roanoke was en route to a maintenance call for Appalachian Power Co. when the accident occurred about 11:50 a.m., Trees Inc. supervisor Kurt Matthews said.
Both members of the crew were taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The truck's driver, Nathaniel Perdue, 18, of Vinton, was treated and released. Cledanor Lessinon, 25, of Roanoke was admitted to the intensive-care unit with a concussion.
``He can nod his head to questions,'' Trees Inc. superintendent Linden Arbogast said. ``It looks like he's going to be all right.''
John Raynor, 28, of Roanoke witnessed the accident and said the driver did the best he could, given the situation.
``There was another car coming through here,'' he said. "He [the truck driver] just kind of moved to the right a little, and the back right wheel just touched the edge of the road and it started to cave.''
The driver responded by accelerating, he said.
``That back tire started to throw dirt and gravel everywhere,'' Raynor said. ``He was trying to get back on the road, and couldn't. He sure gave it a hell of a try, though. It wasn't the driver's fault, I'll tell you that.''
Matthews said work trucks normally carry a four-man crew.
``The foreman was on vacation, and one called in sick this morning,'' he said. ``There's normally a chipper [used to shred tree limbs] on the back, too. It's a good thing that wasn't on there. Those things go for around eight grand.''
``I guess it was a good day to call in sick,'' Arbogast said.
by CNB