By PAUL STONE
The Palestine Herald
June 22, 2006 02:13 pm
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A 19-year-old Palestine woman remains in critical condition at a Tyler hospital 1 1/2 weeks after she was struck by a 70,000-pound-plus truck/tractor which allegedly ran a red light after its brakes failed.
Martha Michelle Gaines, 19, of Palestine was listed in "critical" condition at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler around mid-day Wednesday, according to hospital spokesperson John Moore.
Due to privacy laws, hospitals cannot specifically comment about their patients other than issue a one-word condition report.
Gaines sustained injuries of unknown nature shortly after 12:15 p.m. on June 11 when her 2000 Buick Park Avenue was struck by a 1990 GMC truck/tractor operated by 46-year-old Kenneth Lee Woodworth of White Oak at the intersection of North Loop 256 and Sterne Avenue, according to Palestine police.
Palestine Police Sgt. Pete Todd said officials investigating the accident determined that Woodworth's vehicle had no trailer brakes.
Woodworth was not injured, according to police, who say charges could be filed against the man sometime in the future.
Police have said Woodworth was traveling southbound on North Loop 256 when he apparently proceeded through a red light and struck Gaines' vehicle which was traveling eastbound through the intersection on Sterne Avenue.
A Palestine police report indicated Woodworth's "registered gross vehicle weight" was 72,000 pounds. He was hauling some type of oilfield equipment, according to Todd.
The impact of the collision knocked Gaines' vehicle into a third vehicle — a 1998 Ford Ranger pickup — operated by Gary L. Hughes, 57, of Palestine.
Hughes and his wife, Louise Hughes, 55, also of Palestine, were transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center following the accident, but their injuries were not serious, according to police.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
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