Trees and tankers don’t mix

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Emergency personnel work to drag this 18-wheeler from the woods Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency personnel work to drag this 18-wheeler from the woods Tuesday afternoon.

 

A one-vehicle accident caused Miss. Highway 43 N. to close for more than four hours Tuesday.

The accident was called in at 10:20 a.m. that day after a southbound 18-wheeler left the road for an unknown reason and impacted a tree, said Mississippi Highway Patrol Lt. Johnny Poulos.

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The driver, 56-year-old David Wilson of Biloxi, was transported to Ochsner Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries, Poulos said.

No other vehicles were involved.

At the time of the accident the truck was towing an empty fuel tanker, Poulos said.

On scene it was evident the truck was wedged into a tree in such a manner that it was difficult to remove from the woods and then tow it from the accident site.

In order to remove the vehicle from the trees the highway had to be closed for more than four hours, said Pearl River County Emergency Operations Public Information Officer Tony Bounds.

Affected schools were notified of the closure so bus routes could be detoured and deliver children to their homes, Bounds said.