Washington Times-Herald
WASHINGTON —
A portion of the city lost power Wednesday morning when a semi driver inadvertently raised the dump bed on the trailer he was pulling north on SR 57.
At 6:54 a.m., city dispatchers received a call about the incident, which began on SR 57N at the intersection with E. Walnut Street. Bryan D. Priest, 43, of New Harmony, was driving a 2001 Mack semi tractor and dump-type trailer rig registered to Huebner Trucking Co., of Boonville. He was stopped at the traffic light and believes he accidentally pushed the button to raise the dump bed.
When the light changed, Priest proceeded north on the highway, striking the Indiana Department of Transportation traffic signal in the northbound lane and knocking it down. A little farther along, the bed snagged city utility lines hanging over the road, causing the poles on both sides of the highway to snap as the semi pulled on the lines. As the utility lines broke, some were pulled out of Poindexter Funeral Home, 210 SR 57N, damaging siding, roofing and guttering. Another pole was bent over.
Damage was estimated between $5,000 and $10,000.
