Newspaper Page Text
February 18, 2009
PAGE 7A
Train
iReporter
continued from the front
cars and a chip hopper.
Tony Diaz, who was
working on his mother’s
house on Hwy. 41 directly
across the street from the
scene of the accident, said
he saw Wynes driving on
Rumble Road just seconds
prior to the accident and
does not believe Wynes was
trying to beat the train.
“I don’t think he ever
even saw the train,” said
Diaz.
Diaz said rows of empty
rail cars have been parked
on the adjacent track for
weeks and obstruct the
line of vision for vehicles
tryiing to cross the tracks.
The Rumble Road rail
road crossing has no warn
ing lights or gate, just a
sign. According to the sher
iff’s report, witnesses said
the train began blowing
the horn about a quarter
mile before the crossing.
“I heard the horn,” said
Diaz. “But I don’t think the
truck driver did. As soon as
I heard the engineer lay
down on the horn, I knew
it was not good. Diaz said
he heard the crash seconds
later.
At least one nearby resi
dent said Norfolk Southern
should have known it was
dangerous. A nurse at
Monroe County Hospital,
Cassie Etheridge lives on
Gose Road, near the cross
ing. She said she called the
railroad’s Macon office
back in January to com
plain that the boxcars were
parked too close to the
crossing. She warned the
railroad that they hinder a
driver’s ability to see a
train coming on the other
track and would lead to an
accident. Etheridge told
the railroad that those
unfamiliar with the area
may not realize there are
two tracks and may think
it’s safe to cross when they
see the stopped boxcars.
Etheridge said after her
call, the cars were moved
down a little, but
Etheridge said railroad
officials told her it was
their property and they
could park the cars where
they wanted. Local real
estate agent Connie Ham,
who lives on nearby Reedy
Creek Road, said she
almost got hit earlier.
“I could not see the train
coming,” said Ham. “I had
to ease up to the track and
lean way forward. Just
then a train came. It
scared me to death. I was
inches from the track.”
Another nearby resident,
Bill Starr, said he crosses
the tracks 10 times a day.
“Those boxcars are too
close to the crossing,” said
Starr. “It worries me every
time I cross because you
cannot see well because of
all the empty boxcars on
the track so close to the
crossing.”
Wynes was not wearing a
seatbelt at the time of the
accident, but seatbelts are
not required in a truck. A
family member who
answered the phone at
Wynes’ home on Monday
said he suffered severe
head and neck injuries, but
is at home and in stable
condition. The family mem
ber said Wynes has hired a
lawyer.
The accident is being
investigated by Norfolk
Southern, the Georgia
DOT and the Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office.
Neither Norfolk Southern
nor the Department of
Transportation had
returned calls by presstime
Monday night.
Ferry
with the city’s launching an internal
investigation against him after a joint
drug raid he took part in on James Street
last fall. Several people were arrested and
charged with sale of drugs at the home.
Cocaine and marijuana were confiscated
at the scene. But Mary Persons basketball
star Terrence Shannon was on the scene
and complained that Perry mistreated
him, leading his family to file a complaint.
Shannon was not accused of any crime at
the home, which belonged to his grand
mother.
Perry, who also handled public relations
for the police department, said he didn't
want to comment yet on his resignation
and wouldn't say what his next job will
be. He and his wife are expected their
continued from the front
first child soon.
Attempts to reach police chief Art
Phillips for comment were unsuccessful.
City clerk Janice Hall said his wife was in
the hospital.
Mayor Tye Howard said he hates to see
Phillips leaving, calling him a good officer.
Calls to city council members James
Calloway, Desi Hansford and Lamar
Russell, all members of the city's public
safety committee, weren't returned by
presstime.
Council member Mike Dodd said he, too,
hates to see the officers leaving.
Dodd said he's concerned about losses in
the police department, but since he's not
on the public safety committee he doesn't
know a lot about what's going on.
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