| Two airlifted from Saturday night Highway H crash |
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
|
Posted: Saturday, November 15, 2008 11:30 pm
|
Waynesville firefighters investigate a Saturday night crash on Highway H near Hunters' Point
|
|
|
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Nov. 15, 2008) — A single-vehicle rollover on Highway H near the Hunters Point subdivision shut down the main roadway from Fort Leonard Wood’s west gate for nearly an hour Saturday night while two rescue helicopters evacuated the occupants.
The roadway is under the jurisdiction of the city of Waynesville and the police department’s office won’t be open until Monday for a complete accident report. Names of the vehicle occupants and crash details aren’t expected to be available until then.
The crash happened shortly before 9 p.m. a few hundred feet up the Highway H hill from Southside Road, which leads into Hunters Point. Waynesville firefighters and police quickly responded and began extricating an occupant of a blue Buick passenger car by removing the vehicle’s roof; firefighters called for two rescue helicopters and the first one, St. John’s Lifeline, arrived about 9:18 a.m. while patient extrication from the vehicle was still in progress. The second helicopter from Staff for Life took more time to arrive from Lake Ozark and firefighters stopped all traffic on Highway H south of Southside Road so the helicopters could land on the roadway. The second helicopter lifted off at 9:43 p.m. and law enforcement personnel began accident reconstruction work, with the roadway partially reopened for traffic after that.
As of 10:48 p.m., Fort Leonard Wood still had the west gate closed for traffic. It wasn’t immediately clear when it would reopen.
Lt. Mike Shempert of the Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District said his firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, and Pulaski County Ambulance District paramedics were all present at the crash scene.
“Both people were alive when we pulled them out and helped put them on the helicopter; it’s now up to them,” Shempert said.
The Buick was totaled and removed by Jack’s Towing.
Local Opinion
Click here to follow the Pulaski County Daily News on Twitter
Click here to follow the Pulaski County Daily News on Facebook |
|
Printer-friendly format
|
Login and voice your opinion!
|
