|
|
Post by 4horses5dogs on Feb 13, 2009 16:18:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by HaflingerFolks on Feb 13, 2009 17:31:18 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by muffiecat1 on Feb 13, 2009 18:12:52 GMT -5
Also check out article at www.columbuspacket.com. It actually reprints article and pix from the Macon Beacon (excellent reporting, ETC., by Scott Boyd) LOVE the picture of Doc - hope you all get it in color too! The Commercial Dispatch (cdispatch.com) has had articles this week (2/11, 12, & 13) but not so good --- glad that Roger Larsen, ed. of the Packet, included Gene's eyewitness account of the heartbreaking tragedy. |
|
ann
New Member
Posts: 26
|
Post by ann on Feb 14, 2009 2:24:08 GMT -5
Injured wagon driver gets flood of support February 13, 2009 Neal Wagner Donors from all over the country have shown an outpouring of support for a New Hampshire man injured when an 18-wheeler struck his horse-drawn recreational vehicle near the Noxubee-Kemper county line shortly before noon, Tuesday. We have been absolutely flooded with calls from people from here, New Hampshire and all over the country wanting to donate to the fund, said Brandie Graham, an employee at Citizens National Bank in Macon. Bob Skelding, 49, sustained non life-threatening head injuries after a tanker truck struck his horse-drawn RV while both were traveling on Highway 45 South, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol. The RV was destroyed, and two of Skelding's four horses Deedee and Dollie died. Skelding remained in a Meridian hospital this morning. After the wreck, the Macon Beacon newspaper and Citizens bank in Macon set up an aid fund for Skelding and his surviving horses. While bank officials were not able to reveal the exact amount donated to the fund, they said many donations have been steadily flowing into the fund since Tuesday. There is definitely a lot of interest in it, Graham said. We have been taking calls left and right from people concerned about Mr. Skelding and his horses. Public interest in Skelding's surviving horses, Doc and Joyce, also has been high since the wreck. The horses are doing fine today. They are actually out grazing right now, said Kathy Allen, an employee at Dr. William Calvert's Veterinary Clinic in DeKalb, who is caring for the horses. We have been getting a lot of calls from people concerned about the horses. Some people call wanting to donate, and we direct them to the Citizens National Bank, Allen added. There is definitely a lot of interest. Interest also has been high on several Internet sites. Since the accident, about 4,680 people have signed Skelding's guest book at www.wagonteamster.com. More than 200 people have posted blog comments on www.cdispatch.com in response to stories about the accident. Citizens National Bank continues to accept donations for Skelding's aid fund. Anyone who wishes to donate to the fund should call 662-726-5861, mail a check to Citizens National Bank at P.O. Box 426, Macon, MS, 39341, or visit any Mississippi Citizens National Bank. Checks should be made out to The Bob Skelding Wagonteamster Benefit Fund. Neal Wagner is a Staff Reporter for The Commercial Dispatch. |
|
|
|
Post by skipnmud on Feb 14, 2009 6:21:57 GMT -5
On the picture of the two horses, that is Dollie that is yawning and Doc is in front of her. Bob, Clem and the four horses spent three days at my house over Christmas.
|
|
|
|
Post by nwsgrl on Feb 15, 2009 11:28:52 GMT -5
|
|
ann
New Member
Posts: 26
|
Post by ann on Feb 18, 2009 19:20:22 GMT -5
It looks like the people in the area where Bob wrecked are trying to take issue with the 18 wheelers. I am sure it was an accident, but IMHO, the trucker was following too close to the other 2.
Residents: Take care, slow down on Hwy. 45
February 18, 2009
Neal Wagner
SHUQUALAK - In the wake of an accident on Highway 45 last week that injured the driver of a horse-drawn wagon and killed two horses, nearby residents have one request of truckers and others using the four-lane roadway.
Slow down.
"It's sad that the wreck happened at all, and I really don't think he should have been driving that carriage down the highway," Shuqualak resident Yvonne Strong said of wagon driver Bob Skelding. "But I don't think the blame for the accident should be placed on him.
"The traffic on 45 just isn't like it used to be," Strong added. "Now we have log trucks and other truck traffic speeding down the highway trying to get as many runs in as they can during the day."
The Feb. 10 accident on Highway 45 South near the Noxubee-Kemper county line, in which an 18-wheeler struck a horse-drawn recreational vehicle driven by Skelding, garnered national attention. Skelding, a New Hampshire native, had made many friends and had been the subject of numerous media reports since beginning his cross-country journey in August.
Strong's comments were echoed by a Macon resident who regularly travels on the highway between Noxubee County and Meridian. The Macon resident requested her name not be printed, citing concerns of offending some of her truck-driver family members.
"I go to Meridian a lot, and some of the trucks will do everything but blow you off the road," said the woman. "You can't really fault the truckers for trying to get as many runs in as they can. They have to make a living just like the rest of us.
"I just wish the truck companies would stop paying the truckers by the load. That just encourages them to drive faster," the woman added. "That wreck last week was a tragedy. I just hope it brings to light that there is a problem on our roads."
However, truck company employees see it differently.
"You have to look at the picture as a whole," said Bonnie Peek, an employee at EN Trucking in Shuqualak, whose truck company was not involved in last week's accident. "How many trucks are on the road, and how many wrecks do you see? The percentage of miles driven and trucks on the road to the number of truck-related wrecks is very low.
"Before we or anyone else allows a trucker on the road, they have to go through a rigorous training and qualification process," Peek added. "We run full background checks and they have to go through safety and equipment training and many other things. It's not just something you jump into. It takes a while to become qualified."
During the Feb. 10 accident, the 18-wheeler tanker truck struck the RV, jackknifed and ran off the road. Afterward, two of Skelding's four horses lay dead, two were injured and Skelding was transported to Rush Foundation Hospital with head injuries. As of this morning, Skelding was recovering in the hospital and the two surviving horses, Doc and Joyce, had made nearly a full recovery.
The wreck occurred on a steadily inclining section of road. Several hundred feet before the wreck site, a small hill obstructed road visibility.
Just before the collision, two tanker trucks began to pass each other as they crested the small hill. The trucks were side-by-side as they topped the hill and came down the other side, according to a Mississippi Highway Patrol accident reconstructionist, and one truck was unable to clear the right lane before colliding with Skelding's RV.
However, Strong and the Macon resident said the accident may have been a case of reckless driving or speeding.
"Just drive between Macon and Meridian, and see how many trucks leave you in the dust," said the Macon resident. "Again, you can't fault truckers for trying to make an honest day's living. But something needs to change."
"Personally, I think that wreck could have been avoided if the trucks were driving a little bit slower," Strong said. "I'm certainly not saying they were speeding when this happened, but I believe it could have had something to do with it."
During the past few years, state and county law enforcement officials have responded to few major accidents along Highway 45 in Noxubee County, they said.
"There really hasn't been anything out of the ordinary on that stretch of road," said Noxubee County Sheriff Albert Walker. "We don't get any more complaints or reports from there than anywhere else, as far as I know."
MHP Lt. Randy Gann said his department occasionally receives calls from motorists and residents concerned with truck traffic along Highway 45 South.
"We periodically receive calls from people traveling on and living near that highway who report dangerous truck traffic and things like that," said Gann. "But as far as that being an area where we receive a very high amount of calls, it isn't.
"We receive calls like that from most of the major highways in our district, and also the secondary and two-lane roads," added Gann, whose district includes Lowndes, Noxubee, Winston, Oktibbeha, Choctaw, Clay, Webster, Monroe, Chickasaw and Calhoun counties.
"We respond to those as we get them, and usually are able to address them before they become major incidents," Gann added.
|
|
|
|
Post by docsara on Feb 18, 2009 21:27:58 GMT -5
I think the 3rd truck was "drafting".. based on the first trucker's account that he saw Bob's rig and recognized it.. and was able to get into the right lane, as did the truck behind him. The 3rd truck per the first drivers account was "following close behind #2"
Driver #1 was the one that went back and administered first aid to Bob, Found Clementine and took her home to his wife for safe keeping.
Yes it was an accident, all accidents happen before anyone can say NOOOOOO!!!!!
Bob had met up w/ a MSP trooper just above Macon. The trooper helped him find a place to camp for the night.
In retrospect Bob should have asked for escort on a divided 4 lane w/ no shoulder.
I think it's time we lay this to rest.
It was an accident.
Doc Sara
|
|
|
|
Post by ddddyyyy on Sept 9, 2009 22:39:44 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by edward003 on Dec 15, 2009 22:05:40 GMT -5
|
|
