Semi Hauling Pallets Overturns On 259, No Injuries But Huge Mess

Emergency personnel worked through the bitter wind chill today after a semi truck carrying a load of pallets overturned on Highway 259 in front of Sweeden Missionary Baptist Church. The driver of the truck, Roy J. Myatt of Morgantown, was uninjured in the accident. There were no passengers, and no other vehicles were involved. Myatt was reportedly wearing his seat belt.

Traffic was limited to one lane only for over an hour while local police, commercial vehicle enforcement, the state road department, local fire departments, emergency management, and towing and recovery workers sorted out the mess. Hundreds of wooden pallets were scattered along both the highway and private property. The driver of the semi said that as he came around the curve just before the church, he was crowded by an oncoming car that was southbound. He says he tried to stay at the shoulder of the road, but the trailer went too far over. The lay of the land, which was a small slope downward, was just enough to flip the rig on it's side. 

The towing and recovery team sent a total of four trucks to help with the accident: two semi wreckers to pull the truck off it's side, one rollback truck, and another truck hauling  a skid steer loader to clean up the pallets.

Sheriff Shane Doyle said there was a very efficient team effort made. "Kyrock VFD and the State Highway Department was crucial to keeping traffic running safely and smoothly." He also added, "This could have been a horrible tragedy but thankfully, no one was hurt, and everyone pitched in to help get things back to normal as quickly as possible."

Darren Doyle
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