Unattentive Truck Driver Crashes

A semi-truck driver could face criminal charges for an accident Sunday in McDowell County that killed a passenger, shut down the highway and spilled battery acid, the N.C. Highway Patrol said Monday.

David B. Small, 53, of New Jersey, was driving south down the mountain on U.S. 221 about 20 miles north of Marion when he lost control of the vehicle. The truck hit a rock and started to flip over. The cab came to rest on a runaway truck ramp, and the trailer stopped against a rock wall.

The truck and trailer were destroyed.

“It was a violent accident,” N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Robinson said.
Ricky Dave McDuffie, 51, of Bishopville, S.C., was killed in the accident. Small was airlifted to Mission Hospital and is listed in serious condition.


Both the driver and the passenger were wearing seat belts.


The accident is still under investigation, but Robinson believes excessive speed could have been a factor. He is considering charges against the driver.


“I am going to talk to the DA, but I have not done that yet,” he said.

The driver stated that he lost the ability to use his brakes, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.

Robinson said the brakes could have gotten too hot as the truck came down the mountain. Witnesses reported smelling burnt truck brakes.


“It's a pretty steep grade,” he said. “It's like 6 percent. If you do not travel it often, you could get going too fast.”

The area has seen several major accidents in recent years, Robinson said.


The highway was closed for nearly 24 hours after the accident, which occurred about noon Sunday. The truck was hauling batteries that power lawnmowers and motorcycles. About 2,000 batteries were scattered around the accident, spilling battery acid.


A hazardous materials team was sent to the scene to clean up the battery acid and the batteries. McDowell County Emergency Management director Terry Young said the team worked through the night to contain the hazardous material and reopen the road.


Young said crews put down lime to neutralize the battery acid and excavated some soil that had been contaminated. Rain on Sunday complicated the effort.


There was some environmental damage, he said, “but nothing major.”


“The streams were far enough away,” Young said.

Provided By: citizentimes.com
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