May 4, 2004

Driver half-buried in sand after crash

       Two dump trucks hauling sand and gravel collided Tuesday, hospitalizing both drivers and closing a county road for hours as crews cleaned up the spilled mess.  One driver was trapped inside his truck for almost an hour, buried chest-deep in sand as rescuers worked to free him.  He was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis shortly afterward and was still under emergency room care Tuesday evening. His condition was not available, a hospital employee said.  The accident happened about 10:15 a.m. on Honey Creek Road, just north of Stones Crossing Road/Tracy Road near the White River/Pleasant township line.  Greenwood resident Gerald Hayes was driving southbound on Honey Creek Road in a dump truck owned by ARW Trucking of Whiteland, state trooper Ty Utterback said.  Hayes drove off the road onto the right shoulder, overcorrected and ended up across both lanes of traffic in the path of another dump truck driving northbound, Utterback said.  The other truck, owned by RL Hartman Concrete of Zionsville, smashed into the side of the ARW truck. Austin Hacker of Spencer was driving the concrete truck.  The truck driven by Hayes was knocked onto its side, spilling most of about 67,000 pounds of sand onto the road, Utterback said.  Hacker was driving a truck filled with pea gravel, but none of it spilled during the accident. Company officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.  Both drivers were alert and talking after the accident, Utterback said. Hayes was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis and released later in the day, but Hacker’s injuries required a Lifeline helicopter, Utterback said.  Hacker’s truck stayed upright in the road, but he was buried up to his chest in sand from the other truck that had filled up the cab. Utterback said Hacker was not wearing a seat belt.  “He was complaining of pain in his back and arms, and there appeared to be internal injuries,” said Tom Shively, a deputy with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office who was on the scene.  Crews worked for about 50 minutes to free him from the upright truck, said Mike Pruitt, division chief of Bargersville Fire Department.  “It’s an unfortunate accident, but the main thing is that the drivers are alive,” said Alan Whitaker, president of ARW Trucking in Whiteland.  Honey Creek Road was closed between Smokey Row Road/ Tracy Road and Stones Crossing Road until almost 3 p.m.  Police, fire and paramedic crews from Bargersville, Greenwood, White River Township and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.  Indiana State Police were also on the scene and handled the investigation.
 

       
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