’

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