Hit-and-run driver leaves behind much damage

Wednesday, August 13, 2008
By David Melson

Utility workers prepare lines for remounting after a tractor-trailer struck and snapped a utility pole on Madison Street early Tuesday morning.
(T-G Photo by David Melson)
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A hit-and-run one-vehicle accident that apparently involved a tractor-trailer caused massive problems for Shelbyville traffic and utility workers Tuesday morning.

The wreck, which occurred about 5:45 a.m. on Madison Street near Alton Avenue, left a utility pole snapped in two and the passenger side mirror arm from the truck lying nearby, Maj. Jan Phillips of the Shelbyville Police Department said.

Traffic was detoured around the multi-block area between Deery and Whitthorne streets for most of the day as electric, telephone and cable television wires were moved to a new pole. Utility workers were attempting to transfer the wires with minimal service disruptions, Phillips said.

"We were able to determine from a number on the mirror arm that it came off an eastbound Kenworth," Phillips said. "We notified Tullahoma, Coffee County, and Chattanooga to be on the lookout for a truck with its right side mirror missing."

No damaged truck was found, Phillips said.

Two other utility-related problems caused road closures Monday and Tuesday, authorities said.

* U.S. 41-A North was closed for several hours from El Bethel to Gregory Mill Road late Monday afternoon after a tractor-trailer snared and pulled down utility lines, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said.

* State Highway 82 South, just south of Shelbyville, was shut for approximately an hour about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday due to a gas leak, the BCSD and city police said.

Approximately 35 customers were affected, an Atmos Energy representative said Tuesday.

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I just don't understand the news paper these days. If this occured about 5:45 in the morning why was it not in Tuesdays paper? Last night there was a major drug bust in Shelbyville. If you want to find out about it you have two choices. One is to turn on Nashville news tongiht and get the story or wait 3 days for our local paper to put it in the paper. I hope the never put the news paper in charge of the tornado warning system........if so we will be blown halfway to hell and back before they decide to sound the warning siren. Hey guys look up the word NEWS! You may be amazed it has nothing to do with history!

-- Posted by ANOTHEROPINION on Wed, Aug 13, 2008, at 1:06 PM

I must agree with Anotheropinion, by the time it is in the paper everyone already knows about it so why bother. The paper sure is not like it used to be when Franklin Yates ran it.

-- Posted by Thatsmystory on Wed, Aug 13, 2008, at 1:17 PM

Just to set the record straight, I was the person who called to inform the police dept. of an extremely low lying power line across Madison Street after said power line smacked the middle of my windshield. That call was placed at 5:11a.m. as I was leaving work. So exactly when did that accident take place? I did not notice any semi truck in the area at that time except for the few that myself and another gentleman (who's truck was also hit by the line) were trying to flag down to keep them from hitting it as well. Was this information obtained from a police report?

-- Posted by bcpwoman on Wed, Aug 13, 2008, at 8:18 PM