Trucker hurt; toxic spill snarls I-85

DURHAM - The southbound lanes of Interstate 85 were closed late Wednesday night when a freak accident caused a tractor-trailer carrying a toxic chemical to overturn near Hillandale Road.

The accident happened at 8:50 p.m. when a set of tires came off the rear axle of a northbound tow truck driven by Harry Scott Fox of Charlottesville, Va., and crossed the median, striking the driver's side window of the southbound tractor-trailer.
The southbound tractor-trailer overturned onto the shoulder of the road.
The driver of the truck, who was not immediately identified, was taken to Duke Hospital, where he was in critical condition late Wednesday. Fox was treated at the scene for a knee injury.
Police shut down I-85 South at Guess Road about 11 p.m. when the damaged tractor-trailer was discovered to be carrying more than 30 barrels of benzyl chloride.
The chemical is used in a wide variety of agricultural and manufacturing processes. Members of the Durham Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Team were working to secure the barrels late into the night.

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Truck strikes two vehicles on U.S. 30

PLYMOUTH -- An early morning three-vehicle wreck at the intersection of U.S. 30 and King Road resulted when a truck driver didn't see traffic ahead of him slow down for a traffic light.

Detective Sgt. Duane Culp of the Marshall County Sheriff's Department said the accident happened at 7:30 a.m. Thursday when Michael Johnson, 60, of Lacresent, Minn., was westbound on U.S. 30, east of the intersection with King Road.

A vehicle in front of Johnson's semi-truck, a Ford pickup truck driven by James Read, 56, of Bourbon, was slowing down for the vehicle that had stopped in front of him at the light. That third vehicle, a Ford Freestar, was driven by Amanda Wood, 34, of Plymouth.

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Trucker killed in Toll Road crash

JACKSON TOWNSHIP | A truck driver was killed when he drove off the Indiana Toll Road near County Road 250 East in Porter County and crashed into a ditch about 12:45 p.m. Thursday.

The trucker, a 55-year-old Ohio man, apparently didn't brake before leaving the road, leading authorities to believe he either fell asleep at the wheel or suffered a medical condition before crashing. An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the cause of death.

Porter County Environmental Coordinator Russell Shirley, whose department was called to contain a spill of diesel fuel from the semi, said the semi, which was carrying a load of vehicles, traveled so far off the Toll Road it was barely visible from the roadway.

The crash was investigated by Indiana State Police. Joining them at the scene were Porter County environmental/hazmat personnel, Liberty Township firefighters, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and Porter hospital EMS.

An environmental contractor arrived at the scene shortly before 4 p.m. to handle the cleanup.

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Culpeper crash kills Gainesville trucker

A 34-year-old Gainesville man was killed yesterday when he was partially ejected in a single-vehicle wreck in Culpeper County.

State police said Jeffery Y. Wines was driving a tractor-trailer northbound on U.S. 29, just south of state Route 762.

A large piece of equipment being towed by the tractor-trailer struck an overpass, causing the trailer and attachment to overturn.

The impact partially ejected Wines, who was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

The crash occurred at 9:50 a.m., and Wines died at the scene about 25 minutes later.

Virginia's 2007 highway death toll was 377 yesterday, compared with 371 as of the same date last year.

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Crash with big rig kills 3 Arizona sisters on Bakersfield highway

Three sisters from Arizona were killed when their mother crashed into a stopped big rig that was blocking part of her lane on Highway 99 in Bakersfield.

The California Highway Patrol says the family was on their way to a wedding in Lathrop when their Chevrolet Tahoe crashed into the truck at 65 miles per hour.

The mother is in stable condition at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, but three of her daughters - ages 11, 12 and 18 - died.

Two other young passengers - a fourth daughter and a niece - also survived with moderate injuries and are being treated at the hospital.

CB Radio and the cycles of seven years it is coming up!

In cycles of seven years, sun spot conditions allow CB radio signals to be reflected off the ionosphere and travel throughout the world. The sun is about to cause a worldwide "skip cycle." For the next seven years an operator in California will be able to communicate with the East Coast and on some occasions, Europe. With Japan, Australia and the Pacific rim countries, communications will be regular. There are thousands of operators in these countries anxious for the "skip" to roll in so they can have this broad new contact. When the sun stops its explosion cycle there will be seven years of relative quiet, where signals stay local. Skip time is exciting for the long-range aficionados.

It's midnight in a motor home out West, and the driver, attempting to stay awake, is able to chat with a fellow operator in Queensland, Australia. The CB not only provides a means of communication, but can offer a bit of an education on people in other countries. For some operators this is the only opportunity they will have to make such a contact. Many members of the CB community have made lifetime friends this way.

Anybody that would want to join a Club (for free) is more than welcome to join United Radio Operators - Forum

Just join up and request to be added to the clubs member list. If you have been talking skip for a while you may suggest your own numbers or request us to give you one.