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By Carey Phillips
A Wal-Mart tractor-trailer overturned early Friday
afternoon blocking westbound traffic on U.S. 23-74 east of Sylva.
The accident occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. near Racking Cove
Road.
A Wal-Mart tractor-trailer bound for Cornelia, Ga., ran off
the shoulder of the highway and then overturned, blocking both
westbound lanes of U.S. 23-74 east of Sylva Friday afternoon,
according to Trooper Denny Wood of the N.C. Highway Patrol. The
accident occurred shortly after noon near Racking Cove Road. The
18-wheeler was operated by Kevin Taylor of London, Ky., who was
not injured in the accident, Wood said. All traffic except tractor-trailers
was detoured onto Mineral Springs Road and Skyland Drive; large
trucks had to wait almost two hours before emergency personnel
could clear one lane and allow the tractor-trailers to proceed.
- Herald photo by Carey King
Trooper Denny Wood of the N.C. Highway Patrol said
the 18-wheeler, operated by 41-year-old Kevin Taylor of London,
Ky., was traveling west when it ran off the right shoulder. The
vehicle traveled some 322 feet along the shoulder before coming
back onto the highway and overturning on its right side, completely
blocking both westbound lanes.
Taylor was not injured, the trooper said.
The truck was bound for Cornelia, Ga., and contained "everything
from shotgun shells to baby oil to diapers," Wood said.
Shortly after the wreck occurred, traffic was detoured onto Mineral
Springs Road and Skyland Drive with the help of the Jackson County
Rescue Squad.
Tractor-trailers were not allowed to use Mineral Springs and had
to wait almost 2 hours before one westbound lane was opened, Wood
said.
The trailer sustained some structural damage and had to be unloaded
by hand before it could be uprighted, Wood said.
According to Wood, truck traffic in the area is increasing since
the opening of Interstate 26 through Madison County.
"We haven't seen the full impact yet, but we will,"
he said.
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