Three-car accident delays traffic

By PAUL STONE
The Palestine Herald

PALESTINE May 16, 2008 02:58 am

— A multi-vehicle accident Wednesday morning involving three truck tractor trailers on U.S. 79, south of the Palestine city limits, diverted traffic for several hours, but resulted in no serious injuries.
The mishap occurred around 8 a.m. Wednesday on U.S. 79, less than 1 mile north of the intersection of Texas 294, as rain was falling throughout the area, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Damian Conner.
There were no other passengers in any of the three vehicles, according to the trooper.
Steven Goodman, 28, of Palestine was released Thursday from Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler after being admitted the previous day with undisclosed injuries, according to hospital spokesperson John Moore.
Meanwhile, Paul Phifer, age and hometown unavailable, was treated and released Wednesday at Palestine Regional Medical Center, according to hospital spokesperson Lynn Scribner.
The third driver in the accident — Craig McReynolds, 48, of Apache Junction, Ariz. — was uninjured, according to Conner.
The accident forced northbound traffic on U.S. 79 to be detoured using Texas 294 for roughly six hours until early Wednesday afternoon, the trooper stated. Southbound traffic, meanwhile, was reduced to one lane of travel, using the northbound lane, he added.
The accident occurred when Goodman, who was traveling northbound in a truck tractor trailer, “traveled into the oncoming (southbound) traffic,” first striking the trailer of a truck tractor operated by McReynolds before hitting a third truck tractor trailer operated by Phifer head-on, according to the DPS.
McReynolds and Phifer were both traveling southbound, according to the trooper.
“The impact caused the trailer (of Goodman’s vehicle) to roll over and the truck became engulfed in flames,” Conner explained.
Goodman and Phifer both initially were transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center by ground ambulance before the former was subsequently transferred to the Tyler hospital.
A hazardous materials team from the Texas Department of Transportation responded to the accident to perform cleanup of “oil and diesel spillage,” Conner said.
Conner said his investigation into the accident continues, adding that charges possibly will be filed in the case.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com