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Greencastle man injured in accident
An accident involving three vehicles occurred just north of downtown Greencastle Friday morning at 9:17 a.m., stopping traffic on S. Jackson Street for over an hour.
According to eyewitnesses, a truck carrying a load of trash being driven by Travis Smith, 31, Greencastle was stopped on Jackson Street to make a left hand turn onto Liberty Street. A Duke Energy truck being driven by Kent Adams, 37, Plainfield smashed into the back of the Smith's truck, knocking it across the lane and into another vehicle driven by H. Lee Martin, 80, Russellville who was moving south on Jackson Street.
Adams told investigating officers he did not see Smith stopped in front of him until it was too late to stop.
Smith told police he had just stopped and was signaling a left turn onto Liberty Street when he heard a crash. When he regained consciousness he was pinned in the truck and had glass all over him.
Smith was trapped inside his vehicle for about 30 minutes while emergency personnel and fire fighters worked to remove the top of the truck and the dashboard to free the man. He was taken by Operation Life to Putnam County Hospital, as was Adams.
Jackson Street was closed to traffic for over an hour while police and fire worked to clean up the area, which was strewn with trash being hauled in the back of the Smith's truck, and to remove the vehicles involved.
Witnesses to the accident say there have been many near misses with other accidents at this location.
"Some of these trucks fly down this road and don't watch out," said one man who was outside and witnessed the accident.
"That Duke truck didn't even slow down. He just plowed into the back end of the green truck and knocked him across the road," he said.
Officer Albert Epple investigated the accident with assistance from Sgt. Terry Eastham. Putnam County Sheriff deputies assisted with traffic control.