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A longtime member of the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department and a professional truck driver, Brian Ashe was driving the department's Freightliner pumper/tanker, which was carrying 1,000 gallons of water at 8.3 pounds per gallon, said Mike Ensley, Jackson County's emergency management coordinator and a member of the Cullowhee Fire Department. The truck hit the ice between the department and the Cullowhee Post Office, Ensley said.
"With the momentum and weight of the truck, it went into a skid," Ensley said. "He just couldn't stop."
The truck is reported to have flipped three times, coming to rest on its wheels. Ashe, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, was thrown from the truck on its second roll, his brother said. Flipping a third time, the truck went over Ashe, coming to rest within 2 feet of where Ashe had been thrown.
Brian Ashe was kept in the ICU at Harris Regional Hospital for two nights, his brother said. His injures include a laceration requiring 13 stitches on his head, road rash on the left side of face, his left arm and his left leg, and a possible fractured collar bone.
"Brian said he'd come through there about 45 minutes earlier, and that he didn't notice any ice," Keith Ashe said. "He did a super job of keeping the truck out of the buildings and the gas station."
"We are looking into replacing the truck," said Ensley. "In the meantime, we have enough equipment to continue to serve the community."
With two accidents to contend with, Cullowhee firefighters, officers with the N.C. Highway Patrol and members of the Jackson County Rescue Squad split into teams to cover both. No one was reported injured in the original accident.
"On behalf of the fire department and the family, I'd like to thank everyone for the cards and calls," Keith Ashe said. "And we want to thank all the ambulance and rescue squad personnel, and especially the dispatchers."
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