Omro area child dies in Northern Wisconsin accident

The Northwestern • August 7, 2009

A 3-year-old Omro area boy died Thursday in a recreational vehicle accident in Northern Wisconsin.The boy was with a group of families that was traveling in a utility trailer along Fire Lane Road in the town of Homestead in Florence County Thursday around 3:40 p.m. They were traveling at a low rate of speed when the boy fell from the trailer and was run over. He died as a result, according to a press release issued by the Florence County Sheriff’s Department.

A 59-year-old Aurora man was driving a Max II, a six-wheeled vehicle that was towing the trailer. Two adults were on the six-wheeled vehicle and seven children and two additional adults were riding in the utility trailer.

The boy’s name has not been released pending notification of the boy’s family.

The Florence County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate.

Toddler Run Over After Falling From Trailer

Toddler Run Over After Falling From Trailer
Updated: Aug 7, 2009 11:24 PM

A three-year-old boy is dead after falling off a recreational vehicle in Florence County.

Deputies say two adults and seven children were in a utility trailer being pulled by a six-wheeled vehicle when the boy fell out and was run over by the trailer.

The sheriff's department says the accident happened Thursday in the Homestead township near West Bass Lake Park.

Pickerington man crushed to death by bulldozer

BY MORGAN DAY • Staff Writer • August 8, 2009

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP -- A Pickerington man who died Friday afternoon was excavating ground at his nephew's house when the bulldozer he was in fell on top of him, officials said Friday.

Richard D. Huntwork, 60, died about 2:20 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Ohio 256 and Bader Road.

"He was putting the bulldozer back onto the trailer, and the front of the trailer went up into the air," said Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen. "At that time, it threw the bulldozer off balance, and it fell off the trailer.

"He was crushed by the bulldozer when it struck the ground."

Phalen said workers were at the property, which is under construction. No one saw the incident happen, but they heard the bulldozer fall and then called 911.

Medics took Huntwork to Fairfield Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Basil Joint and Violet Township fire departments responded to the scene.

Phalen said accidents involving bulldozers have not been common within the county.

"We tend to see more tractors tip over than bulldozers," he said. "I would say it's a very unusual occurrence."

Blog Responses:

1. Lets thank Ron for his compassion

1. To all.. especially Spooky 100 thank you for the support. Last year I got this e mail from a person from OHIO who lost his brother..

Mr. Melancon

It took a personal tragedy for me to research dangerous trailers .

Our family will be burying my little brother tomorrow due to a dangerous trailer. Below is a link to the news video of the trailer /motorcycle accident.

I would like to see it added to your site if possible.
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/The_Gunter_Family.html

Also I mailed this story to our president.... 5 months ago.... again no responce... why.
http://dangeroustrailersviedos.blogspot.com/2008/04/man-continues-to-recover-from-december.html

Here is his story....again...also a child was just lost by a Utility Trailer Accident..
I will post on my web site...go to the updates page...here is a summary..
T
oddler Run Over After Falling From Trailer

Updated: Aug 7, 2009 11:24 PM

A three-year-old boy is dead

Why? do these deaths have to occur?
8/8/2009 11:27:28 PM

1. Today the old time people of Pickerington are in shock. We all new Dick and some even went through school here in Pickerington with him. Dick was a outstanding person, outstanding husband and father, and a good friend to all who new him. He will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with the entire Huntwork family.

Paul Ford
Pickerington Posted by Ron Melancon at 8:36 PM

Click Play To See Video

Hit-and-Run Driver Leaves Injured Horse, Trailer Behind

SACRAMENTO, CA - CHP investigators were searching for the driver of a pickup truck who rear-ended a car of Interstate 5 Saturday night, then took off, leaving a horse trailer -- and an injured horse --behind.

The crash happened on southbound I-5 just south of Airport Road in Sacramento around 10:08 p.m. Saturday, according to CHP spokesman Todd Van Lindt.

VIDEO: Crews work to free trapped injured horse after crash; 8/1/09, 10:30 p.m.

Investigators said a Toyota Corolla traveling southbound was rear-ended by a black Dodge pickup, causing a horse trailer hooked to the pickup to detach and overturn. The pickup driver fled the scene and left the lone horse stuck inside the flipped carrier, Van Lindt said.

A veterinarian from the Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic was called out to help free the horse from the trailer.

The horse suffered cuts to his back and legs and was transported to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital for treatment.

"We did have to cut a portion of the trailer out as well as use a tranquilizer sedative on the horse and really manpower the horse out," CHP Sgt. David Barker said. Barker estimated the horse weighed somewhere between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds.

The animal was moved to the county animal shelter Sunday afternoon, where he was stablized and expected to make a fully recovery, county shelter spokeswoman Chris Andis said.

The woman driving the Corolla, 62-year-old Darlene Lee Biedenbender of Cameron Park, was not hurt in the collision.

Van Lindt said despite leaving the horse and trailer behind, investigators had little to go on to find the driver of the pickup. There were no reported witnesses to the crash or traffic cameras posted in the area, Van Lindt said.

News10/KXTV

Washigton State Patrol Warns: Check Your Trailer Before You Tow It

NOTE: Warnings are not working.

It's about time we address this on a National Level

With the hot weather and Seafair weekend approaching, the Washington State Patrol would like to remind motorists to conduct a complete and thorough safety check of all trailers and campers prior to towing them on the roadway.

Safety checks should consist of checking tires for any abnormal wear and cracks, making sure the tire pressure meets the manufacturers recommended PSI for the load, checking that the lug nuts are properly tightened, the safety chains and emergency brake are properly attached, all tail lights are operative, and the load is properly secured.

This reminder comes after a wheel came loose from a boat trailer at approximately 12:40 am on July 25th. The boat trailer was being towed in the southbound lanes of I-5 at 304th St in Federal Way when the right wheel came loose. The wheel hit a semi truck and shot across the median and landed on top of a passenger car in the northbound lanes. The impact was so extreme that it crushed the roof of the car forcing it into the passenger compartment. The female driver, a Pennsylvania resident and sole occupant, was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

I-395 crash kills Texas couple Flat Tire on Camper

Sunday, August 2, 2009

I-395 crash kills Texas couple

TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WEBSTER — An elderly Texas couple who had stopped to change a tire on their camper trailer were killed early yesterday morning along Interstate 395 when a passing sedan veered into the breakdown lane and struck them, state police said.

Robert G. Farner, 81, and Chloe K. Farner, 77, of Cottonwood Shores, Texas, were pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

A 21-year-old Lowell man was driving a Nissan Altima in the northbound lanes of I-395, near the exit for Route 193, about 6:40 a.m. when his car plowed into the couple’s truck and camper trailer as they were working on the tire, state police said.

Geoffrey K. Wahome was seriously injured in the impact. His car flipped after the crash and came to rest in the breakdown lane on the northbound side of the highway, police said.

It wasn’t clear yesterday evening if alcohol or speed were a factor in the crash.

Mr. Wahome was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center for treatment, police said. He was listed in serious condition yesterday evening.

The northbound lanes of the highway were closed for about an hour until one lane was reopened to traffic about 8:15 a.m., police said. The crash remains under investigation.

Two Killed Changing Flat Tire On Camper on Highway In Massachusetts

Two Killed Changing Flat Tire On Highway In Massachusetts

August 1, 2009 5:25 p.m. EST

Mayur Pahilajani - AHN News Writer

Webster, MA (AHN) - Two people were killed on early Saturday when a car struck them as they were trying to change a tire on the highway in Massachusetts, State Police said.

The officers from the Massachusetts State Police Department are investigating the accident.

The men were changing a flat tire at around 6:40 a.m. on a camper trailer attached to their truck, which was parked in the breakdown lane on Route 395 North in Webster, Massachusetts.

The identities of the men were not released pending notification of next of kin.

The police officials said that the 21-year-old driver of Lowell, Geoffrey K. Wahome, was seriously wounded as his car flipped after the crash.

He was taken by ambulance to UMass Medical Center for treatment, the officials added.

Comments:

While this is really a horrific accident for all involved. Our prayers and thoughts go out to everybody involved. Please go to www.dangeroustrailers.org for more on these types of accidents.

The questions must be asked... why did the tire get a flat? Were the right tires used for this camper? Was a ST rated tire used? Was the Camper sold with the right kind of tire? What inspections are required? Was the tire defective? The point is if the flat never happened then the accident would have never happened.

Time and Time again our evidence has shown that over 50% of these types of vehicles combination's "Passenger Cars That Tow Trailers" have defective taillights, tires, improper safety chains, no safety chains, no connections of safety chains, broken lights, wrong tires used, homemade trailers with improper hitches coupled with wrong size tow balls ect.

Please go here to view our press release... http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/07/prweb2339...

As our Government at every level from State To Federal has simply allowed the Utility Trailer industry to dictate regulations regarding this class of vehicle. I have the "Route 66 report" By J. Standard Baker done back in 1964 which found out that out of 735 accidents that was studied on Route 66...105 or one in 7 involved a Trailer.

Here is a quote from a LA Times article...
"Company battled U.S. safety rules"
U-Haul is mostly self-regulating when it comes to towing safety — thanks largely to an aggressive campaign it led against proposed federal rules in the late 1960s and early '70s.

The safety standards would have governed trailer hitches and couplings and would have set minimum requirements for informing customers of towing risks.


Company battled U.S. safety rules
June 24, 2007

» Discuss Article (494 Comments)

U-Haul is mostly self-regulating when it comes to towing safety — thanks largely to an aggressive campaign it led against proposed federal rules in the late 1960s and early '70s.

The safety standards would have governed trailer hitches and couplings and would have set minimum requirements for informing customers of towing risks.



* How the crash happened
How the crash happened
* Caring for Marissa
Photos: Caring for Marissa

*
Photos: Vulnerable to sway
*
Driving with rented risks
*
Making his point, at 80 mph

They were inspired in part by the so-called Route 66 study by traffic expert J. Stannard Baker, which found that cars towing trailers along the storied roadway had accidents at four times the rate of other passenger vehicles.

U-Haul and a coalition of manufacturers, dealers and rental firms fought the rules vigorously. In a three-volume report, U-Haul attacked the Baker study as deeply flawed and insisted that motorists actually had fewer accidents when pulling trailers. It said that by taking the study seriously, the government had done "an injustice to the American trailering public."

U-Haul said that if certain proposals were adopted — such as requiring special hitches for loads over 2,000 pounds — "the trailering and rental business would virtually be wiped out."

So you see.... The Utility Trailer Industry... Profit over Safety.

Same type of accident in TEXAS... Why is this happening?

An elderly Texas couple who had stopped to change a tire on their camper trailer were killed early yesterday morning along Interstate 395 when a passing sedan veered into the breakdown lane and struck them, state police said.

Robert G. Farner, 81, and Chloe K. Farner, 77, of Cottonwood Shores, Texas, were pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

A 21-year-old Lowell man was driving a Nissan Altima in the northbound lanes of I-395, near the exit for Route 193, about 6:40 a.m. when his car plowed into the couple’s truck and camper trailer as they were working on the tire, state police said.

Geoffrey K. Wahome was seriously injured in the impact. His car flipped after the crash and came to rest in the breakdown lane on the northbound side of the highway, police said.

It wasn’t clear yesterday evening if alcohol or speed were a factor in the crash.

Mr. Wahome was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center for treatment, police said. He was listed in serious condition yesterday evening.

The northbound lanes of the highway were closed for about an hour until one lane was reopened to traffic about 8:15 a.m., police said. The crash remains under investigation.