Crash With Overturned Log Truck Injures Two, Slows Traffic On Highway 97

August 23, 2010

There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash involving a log truck Monday morning in Walnut Hill, but a spilled load of logs was expected to slow traffic for hours.

The Florida Highway Patrol says that just after 11 a.m. Jerry A. Poulsen, 59, was southbound on Highway 97  just south of South Highway 99 when he attempted a left-hand turn into a driveway. His Nissan Frontier pickup truck was struck by an 18-wheel log truck driven by Daniel Jay Williams, 47, of Molino. Troopers said Williams rounded a curve and attempted to avoid the collision.

His log truck overturned partially in the northbound lane of Highway 97, sending the entire load of logs in a ditch and a homeowner’s yard.

For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the scene, click here.

Williams and Poulsen were transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital. Poulsen’s injuries were minor; the extent of Williams’ injuries were not released.

The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash. The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.

Pictured: Two people were injured in this collision involving a log truck and a pickup Monday morning on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

27 Responses to “Crash With Overturned Log Truck Injures Two, Slows Traffic On Highway 97”

  1. nhs on August 24th, 2010 9:39 pm

    They also call it an accident because when they arrive on the scene. They do not know who’s fault it is. They have to investigate to make sure the info that the drivers gave them is correct.

  2. Lindsay on August 24th, 2010 5:56 pm

    I’m glad Mr. Poulsen is okay otherwise my teacher, which is his son, would be in turmoil, if his father had been badly injured in the wreck.

  3. horrific on August 24th, 2010 3:10 pm

    Well I guess someone on the sheriff’s department is reading this
    or that was one heck of a coincidence.
    I just came home from the store and there was radar on 29 up
    close to the drug store.

    Good job.
    I had a log truck in cantonment come flying past me over the railroad
    tracks and of course that is only a 40 mph zone. When I got up to
    the 65 mph zone he was so gone I saw nobody.
    When I got home I told my husband and he said well, you did see
    radar so I’m betting the word was already out and he took the
    back road thats by you didn’t see him again.

    Yep betting so.
    I’m thinking you wonderful officer you, that the only way your going to
    catch them is to race back and forth down 29 and 97 yourself so
    nobody can keep track of where you are and tell it on their
    cb’s. Or thinking about it maybe that won’t work either.

    Cameras! Thats the only way your going to slow them down and
    of course they will break neck it in between. Thats not going to
    stop them from getting on ppls tails and tail gating either and scaring
    the women to death.

    School is open again the whole thing is shameful.
    Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  4. stuart on August 24th, 2010 6:36 am

    Ms. Paulson, On NE.com, thinking is not required :)

    Glad to hear Mr. Paulson is OK.

  5. darla on August 23rd, 2010 10:10 pm

    So what have I learned from this story? Be alert when driving, don’t take for granted someone is paying attention (I need to), hug my family, tell them I love them, give my heart to Jesus for today…..MY LIFE MAY BE REQUIRED. peace north escambia.

  6. TJ on August 23rd, 2010 8:56 pm

    You can pass whenever you want to but why take a chance the way the 2 trucks was doing this morning was uncalled for… Did I see a speed limit sign of 40 in one of the pics. yes, I did !!! I Just have 5cents not 2!!!

  7. again? on August 23rd, 2010 6:17 pm

    It doesn’t matter where the collison happens, its the speed that sometimes causes collisons. I live off Hwy 29, I was amazed this weekend as it poured down rain, and at sometimes the rain was so heavy it was hard to see, and these idiots still drove like it was clear as a bell out. SPEED kills, didn’t we all learn this in driver’s training??????

    SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. Lt. Thumbs on August 23rd, 2010 5:20 pm

    It interests me to see the comments. There have been a lot of news articles on this site involving wrecks, all involving cars of pickups. But, as soon as a big truck is involved people start in with their speculating and “professional” opinions about big truck safety. I have driven a truck and a car for many years, and have seen by far a larger percent of people who drive cars acting, for lack of a better term “stupid.” People very seldom check facts, in 2008 which is the latest year I can find data on only 8% of all accidents involved tractor trailers, yet a tractor trailer drives an average of 125,000 miles a year versus a car driving 15,000 miles a year. I have no idea if the truck or the pickup was at fault, and it really doesn’t matter, as the truck has a lot bigger insurance policy, the fault will always go to the truck. It just bothers me when it is immediately assumed that the truck is at fault. Also I do know that some truckers drive too fast, but remember, the truck going 60 mph looks like the car going about 90 mph.

  9. Terri Parker on August 23rd, 2010 5:17 pm

    Ms. Paulsen,

    I am so glad your husband was not hurt. I was in an accident August 7 and that was bad enough. The other lady got hurt pretty bad. My neice and nephew and I were okay.

    Good luck

  10. driver on August 23rd, 2010 4:44 pm

    if the truck was speeding the logs would have been in someones house I have seen what happens to logs when a trailer rolls over at high speed and to just let you know he didnt get cited for speeding

  11. William on August 23rd, 2010 4:10 pm

    >If you notice most of the time the word ACCIDENT is not used because it entails that no one is at blame, that is why FHP call it a collision

    FHP did not specifically call it a collision, wreck, accident or crash. Those are words we might use in a story, and they are almost interchangeable.

  12. barrineau on August 23rd, 2010 4:02 pm

    If you notice most of the time the word ACCIDENT is not used because it entails that no one is at blame, that is why FHP call it a collision. I know a lot of four wheelers (cars , trucks) think they can out run , manuver, pass, or stop on a dime in front of a big rig. It does’nt work that way , it is physicly impossable for a big rig .I also know that big rig drivers make there money buy the load, and any body that lives on the north end has had a rig fly right by them like they were going backwards. All that being said, big rig drivers are suposed to be the PROFESSIONAL drivers , FHP will say the same thing, so what if it takes 5 extra minutes that is there chosen PROFESSION.

  13. BAJ on August 23rd, 2010 3:53 pm

    I go to Atmore every other day to Atmore Physical Therapy, I am so cautious of these workers on our road but the truckers never cease to amaze me at the speed they are allowed to get away with.
    I am thankful that our wonderful neighbor and friend was not hurt. God was watching over him.
    Please SLOW the truckers down

  14. seen it before on August 23rd, 2010 3:51 pm

    Truck was not going very fast or the logs would have ben scatered a lot more.
    The truck driver did an outstanding job by not killing Mr. Poulsen.
    An that;s all I got to say about that.

  15. southernlady on August 23rd, 2010 3:45 pm

    “Troopers said Williams rounded a curve and attempted to avoid the collision.”

    Was he passing on a curve?

  16. sniper on August 23rd, 2010 3:44 pm

    as much as i hate to say it, traffic laws need to be enforced a little more on 97. I work in atmore and live in pensacola. everyday like clockwork i get passed by the same vehicles and see many people speeding. There are 2 local concrete company dump trucks (i wont name the company) that head south on 97 between 730-800 doing MUCH more than the speed limit! if at all possible, avoid their path! i dread rounding corners with this type of recklessness going on!

  17. Sharon Poulsen on August 23rd, 2010 3:35 pm

    Some people who make comments should think first.

    My2cents: 2 vehicles headed in the same direction, one is making a “legal” “fully and timely signaled” left hand turn. The larger, which was traveling too fast, passes. Hence the impact on the left side door. Yes, most commercial drivers are safe drivers, but it only takes one to impact a family forever. We were blessed today. God kept our husband and father safe. Some families are not so fortunate.

  18. my2cents on August 23rd, 2010 3:16 pm

    ■driver=I concur! That is the point that I was trying to make.

    ■observer=#2 Common sense would tell a truck driver not to pass a bus loaded with children. MY QUESTION to you, Have you NEVER passed a bus full of kids. What does being a truck driver have to do with it? . I have, just being honest. Common sense tells you, when you have a PASSING zone, it is called that by the State of Florida for a reason!

    I am also done. We are going to agree on one thing—–To DISagree!

  19. just wondering on August 23rd, 2010 3:05 pm

    wasnt this part of hwy 97 in the work zone.. mabey 55 was just too fast.

  20. observer.... on August 23rd, 2010 2:36 pm

    To- My 2 cents
    #1 Speed limit is 55 MPH
    #2 Common sense would tell a truck driver not to pass a bus loaded with children.
    #3 If they are more concerned of how many loads they are going to get that day, we definately need more law enforcement on Hwy 97 Obseving and ticketing those in to big of a hurry.

    Thats all I have to say about that….use common sense. A life or a load?? Um…I think someones life would be more important!

  21. Oversight on August 23rd, 2010 2:24 pm

    The log truck driver was either not paying attention or was going too fast to react to the situation, period!

  22. driver on August 23rd, 2010 2:07 pm

    you people get your facts strait before you start bashen truck drivers that is not the truck passed you at 8 this morning it wasgetting loaded at that time and he didnt try to pass anyone he turned to miss someone pullin out and turnin in seen it happen before that wreck could have very bad but it wasnt thank god

  23. my2cents on August 23rd, 2010 1:14 pm

    ■observer=What is the speed limit and how fast are you going when you are “passed”?

    ■TJ=If there is no oncoming traffic, is a big truck not supposed to pass?

    ■robert=So are most LOCAL truck drivers and you do not hear about this happening all the time.

    My question is this, how did the truck turning left, get hit in the left door? if he had A: turned on his blinker, B: Given time for someone to see it and C: not done a spur of the moment, I think I can make it, turn in front of the truck(no matter the direction of turn) like all of us have done! Admit it.

    Do not be so quick to judge the truck driver…not always their fault. They are just bigger and easier to blame. Do not see a lot of “my that car was flying and passing, BLAH BLAH” about passenger vehicles.

  24. interested reader on August 23rd, 2010 1:07 pm

    So glad no one was seriously injured in what could have been a fatal accident. The pictures show us why semis, log trucks, paperwood trucks and other BIG trucks need to obey rhe speed limit. They cannot stop quickly when the need arises. Speed on hwy. 97 is a huge problem. I cringe when these big trucks are bearing down on me and YES they do pass in curves and on solid yellow lines. For all the trucks who are obeying the speed limit I say thank you.

  25. robert on August 23rd, 2010 12:58 pm

    they are in a hurry because most of them get paid by the load. so the more loads they run the more money they make!!!!

  26. TJ on August 23rd, 2010 12:52 pm

    If this was one of two trucks going north around 8 this morning they past us then past cars after cars both log truck at this same time. He got loaded and was on the way back north, I can see it happening, They was driving too fast for log trucks

  27. observer.... on August 23rd, 2010 12:42 pm

    I tell you……….When I see these trucks coming down the road I get as far away as I can from them, and when they are behind me I keep watching in the review mirror to make sure they are back far enough from me. I have actually witnessed one of these log trucks passing a school bus laoded with children on Highway 97. Not at all taking in consideration of what if something went wrong while passing the bus! Why would they even be so inpatiet to pass like that! I see they have DOT all the time on Hwy 29 making lots of stops, maybe they need to get out here and observe these truck drivers. They just need to SLOW DOWN!!! Whats the rush?????