An 18 wheeler and a Honda Accord collided at the 219 mile marker Thursday tying up Interstate 30 for about five hours. The crash left a semi-truck and a car in a tangled mess, but miraculously, the only injuries sustained were to the trucker’s dog, Zeus, who reportedly has a broken leg but is on his way to recovery.
The 18 wheeler was driven by Roger White, 60, of Winamac, Ind. The blue Honda Accord was driven by Sunnie Ivey, 24, of Winthrop, Ark.
Both vehicles were traveling west bound when the female driver (Ivey) of the blue Honda Accord attempted to change lanes because she missed her exit to Kings Highway, according to the accident report.
“The truck was in the outside lane closest to the median when the Honda Accord changed lanes in front of the trucker, said Sgt. Aaron Brower, public information officer with the Texarkana, Texas, Police Dept.
“The trucker tried to avoid striking the vehicle and turned the truck towards the median. The truck hit the concrete barrier under the overpass at Kings Highway, then the truck went across both lanes of traffic and in between the last two pillars of the bridge. The driver of the truck was transported to Christus St. Michael Hospital with minor injuries and the driver of the Honda Accord was released on scene without injury,” he said.
Ivey said on July 21, 2014, that she is very thankful for White’s proficiency behind the wheel and that no one was hurt.
“I am very grateful that he and his dog are OK. And, I’m blessed that he was such an experienced driver that was willing to risk his life to save mine,” she said.
Rumors have been floating around saying Ivey must have been distracted by being on her cell phone, and that she also attempted to make a U-turn in the middle of Interstate 30.
But she said no such thing could be further from the truth. And the police agree with her.
“No. We have not heard any rumors of cell phone use or of making a U-turn, nor do we have any evidence to support that rumor. And we have not been told that rumor by anyone that was on scene or a witness to the crash,” said Traffic Sgt. Mike Harris of the Texarkana, Texas, Police Dept.
Ivey said it was an accident pure and simple.
“I was not on my phone nor was I making an illegal U turn. I was trying to pull over on the shoulder to get out of traffic. It was just an accident probably due to slick roads. I even got out of my car and went over to the truck to check on him and his dog and stayed with him until EMTs showed up,” she said.
“I was very glad to hear that he was OK on Friday when I called to check on him.”
No citations were issued in the accident.
