Really need the photo the Durango is tied up with the roofing crew safety harness's to keep it from flipping
LAVALETTE -- Five people were taken to a local hospital after a car accident near the entrance to Sugarwood Golf Club on W.Va. 152 at about 2 p.m. in Wayne County Friday afternoon.
West Virginia State Police Trooper E.R. Robinette said a Dodge Durango with a driver and three passengers inside was traveling north in the southbound lane of the two-lane road when it collided with a Chevrolet El Camino, also traveling north, that was turning into the golf course entrance.
The El Camino had a crumpled front, a shattered rear windshield and the driver's side front tire ripped off the frame. Fluid from the vehicle was leaking heavily down the side of the road.
The Durango came to rest roughly 150 feet down from the shoulder of the road, settling in a dry creek bed that was flooded just a day before, witnesses said.
Robinette said the driver of the Durango was able to free himself, while the three passengers had to be extricated from the vehicle by emergency responders.
The driver of the El Camino, the vehicle's only occupant, and the four from the other vehicle were transported from the scene to a local hospital by Lavallete and Cabell County EMS.
The names and conditions of the victims were unknown at press time.
Robinette said alcohol is believed to be a factor in the incident, and also expected charges would be filed.
"Fortunately there were some good Samaritans out here who were able to help," he said.
A roofing crew from Fahey Exteriors of Barboursville came across the accident, noticing the Durango below the road.
The crew used ropes and pulleys from its roofing operations to tether the Durango to two trees, keeping it from tipping over on its top.
"We just happened to be rolling by," said Hunter Arthaud. "The reaction of the people, it was just crazy. It was bad. Really bad."
"I was just glad to see them get out of there," said Daniel Brown, another member of the construction crew. "I'm glad we found them, because you can see how far off the road they were."
Traffic on 152 was moving slowly and backed up for about a mile southbound until the road was cleared close to 2:45 p.m. Wrecker crews were still in the process of trying to tow the Durango up from the creek bed at that time.
The Ceredo Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene
The 4 drunks were speeding and went to pass the elcamino in front. When they got in the elcamino's blind spot of the mirror he turned left and they slammed into him.
I had the exact same thing happen to me when I was a 14 yr old kid except I was on a motorcycle with two fishing rods on my lap and sticking over the handle bars. I had my blinker on to turn left onto a dirt road that led to the river and when I looked into the mirror, there was no one there. Or at least it appeared that way. But I turned right into the car that had ignored my blinker and was passing me. I slid down the road on my back and ended up with a very long strawberry from my butt cheeks to my shoulders but I got back up and ended up catching several nice catfish. :huh: