JONES COUNTY FIRST RESPONDERS
A Friday morning accident involving a turned over log truck shut down a major road into Gray for two hours, but a joint effort by city and county agencies contributed to a good ending to the story.
A press release from Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, public information officer with the Gray Fire Department, about the June 30 accident said emergency responders with the City of Gray Fire Department, Police Department, Jones County Fire Rescue, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office and ambulance crews worked together to extricate the driver of the log truck.
Gimenez said the truck overturned and wrecked at the intersection of Highway 18 West and Old Highway 18, right at the curve, and Mike Adams Wrecker Services was called to lift the cab of the truck that was pinning the driver.
She said traffic was shut down for over two hours until the driver could be extricated, the vehicle righted, fuel and fluids mitigated and lanes cleared.
A report of the one-vehicle accident by JCSO Deputy Ayla Morris gave the name of the truck driver, Fread Lee Childs, 47, from Jackson. He was driving a 2018 Mack truck, and the time of the accident was approximately 8:30 a.m.
A road closure alert was sent out by the JCSO app and Facebook page at 9 a.m., warning motorists to avoid the area of Highway 18 West near the Gray Bypass due to an overturned tractor trailer. The alert stated traffic was rerouted via Old Highway 18.
The accident report states the log truck was traveling eastbound on Highway 18 West. Morris said the driver approached a curve at a high rate of speed and lost control. She said the truck overturned onto its passenger side, slid eastbound and then struck a guard rail. At that point, the truck continued to overturn, landing on its roof.
The report states the contributing factor was exceeding the speed limit and the most harmful event was the collision with the guardrail.
Emergency Management Director Don Graham said he was in Florida when the accident happened but did talk to rescuers about the extrication. He said he was advised that the extrication itself took 28 minutes to remove the victim from the carnage.
“The victim was conscious, alert and transported to the Trauma Center,” he said.
Graham said it was his understanding from a reliable source that the driver had been discharged from the hospital.
“He is extremely lucky, and our first responders did a jam up job. All did well,” he said.
Gimenez expressed her gratitude to everyone who assisted.
“Thank you to all our volunteers and public servants for making a difference in our community and working together so effectively,” she said.
