’ Terrace truck driver Wayne Norton is lucky to be alive; His logging truck, not loaded at the time, was demolished about noon Monday when a load of logs on an oncoming logging truck broke loose and spilled across the highway. The second logging truck drove out of control and was extensively damaged as well. _ The driver of that truck was not injured. Norton was reported to be resting in stable condition in intensive care by a Mills Memorial Hospital spokesman Tuesday afternoon, According to Terrace. RCMP, the incident - occurred at about 11:55 a.m. Monday ‘morning at Maroon Creek, just south of Rosswood and about 22. miles north of Terrace. Norton was not carrying a load: of logs and was northbound on the Nisga’a Highway. The second truck driven by a 26-year- old Terrace man was southbound and carrying a fullload oflogs, © _ ; _-As the second truck rounded a right-hand corner, the load apparently broke loose and fell into. the path of Norton’s truck. Norton suffered serious head and ‘other injuries in the incident and his vehicle came to rest against a rock bluff on the east side of the highway. The second vehicle dug seven-centimetre-deep grooves in the pavement as. it slid to a stop cross-ways on the highway, . Sh - . The accident scene was attended by members _ of the Terrace RCMP detachment, two Terrace “ambulances, the Terrace Fire Department rescue truck and a Thornhill fire truck. It took Terrace firefighters about 20 minutes to free Norton from the wreck using Hurst hydraulic spreaders to - open the cab. ° ; Co RCMP say the highway was closed for about two hours while the remains of the two trucks and the logs were removed, Damage to the two logging trucks has been estimated at about $200,000. An RCMP investigation continues into the exact cause of the incident, and a detachment, representative says charges are pending. Terrace Review — April 16, 1992