One hurt in U.S. 231 wreck

Monday, January 22, 2007

An early Monday morning accident closed U.S. 231, just south of the Montgomery County line, and sent a Linton man to the hospital.

Putnam County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Pettit told the BannerGraphic that around 6:45 a.m., Jeffery D. Workman, 44, Linton, driving a 2006 Mac semi-truck for Gibco Motor Express LLC, Evansville, was traveling northbound on U.S. 231 when he veered off the road near County Road 275 West.

Workman's semi, which had a trailer full of coal, traveled down the embankment and flipped over on its top. Pettit said that when the truck flipped over, one of the diesel fuel tanks ripped open, spilling fuel all over the roadway.

Pettit also said that Workman was pinned inside, and emergency service crews had to extricate him out the back window of the cab.

According to Pettit, witnesses reported that speed was not a factor in this accident.

Workman was transported to Crawfordsville's St. Clare Medical Center with a fractured femur and a possible head injury. Pettit said that Workman was then transported by ambulance to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Due to the weather, LifeLine helicopters were unable to fly.

Dennis O'Hair from the State Highway Department reported that there were no major problems with the road as of Monday morning. U.S. 231 is expected to be open for traveling again around noon.

Pettit was assisted on the scene by Deputy Don Lewis, Roachdale and Russellville fire departments, Operation Life and state highway.

During the accident, a state highway employee was reportedly injured after being struck by a vehicle while directing traffic at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Ind. 236. Information on this accident was not available at press time.

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