Accidental Weekend, March 22-23, 2008

All images © 2008 by Robert E. Pence

On Saturday morning (March 22, 2008) I noticed police cars around the east end of the St. Marys River Bridge on West Jefferson. I wasn't inclined to go out in the unpleasant weather to check it out. They were there quite a while.

Some time later I saw the flasher atop a tow truck, near the underpass that connects the tennis courts with East Swinney Park. Curiosity got the better of me.

Temporary paper plate taped inside rear window:

Went in here:

Came out here:

Missing trim pieces

About 2:30 a.m. (Mar 23, 2008) I was at my computer when I heard an awful racket outside. I live beside the beginning of a curve on a major arterial heading out of town, where most drivers exceed the speed limit by at least 10mph, and it's Sunday 2:30 a.m., so it's a safe bet alcohol is involved,

Cell phone in hand, I went out on my front stoop and saw a pickup truck straddling the guard rail and a couple of guys walking around. One of them got in and started it up and tried to drive it off the rail, making some real interesting sounds. I called the cops.

Field sobriety test for the driver. He didn't pass.

Driver in cuffs, escorted to the back seat of a police car.

The scene in daylight. Loose gravel finished him off, but if he had been in control he wouldn't have gotten into the gravel in the first place.

The impact at the base of the pole knocked the light head loose. Here, a replacement is being installed.

Replacing the guard rail.