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Show , By GARY R. BLODGETT i VERDA - The James Wilkes home, 3107 Crest-Circle, Crest-Circle, val Verda, looked like it had been struck by jiomado. c EXPENSIVE, ranch-rambler home was actually ' ied off s foundation. There was a huge hole-as ,h a bulldozer had crashed through the walls -and ""mil and floors had collapsed. Debris was scattered neighboring yards. "(he devastation was not caused by a tornado, or any art ol nature. rr WAS the tragic aftermath of a traffic accident! dump truck loaded with between 15 and 20 tons of I 0St its brakes coming down 3100 South (Val Verda s K mi), picked up momentum, and roared through intersection of Orchard Drive at more than 60 miles je r hour- fflE LARGE truck then clobbered two parked cars at I ' Bin Vander Elst's home, 3122 Orchard Drive, and i , eoing airborne for more than 40 feet, slammed into Xchen of the Wilkes' home, i ru nick crushed the kitchen and living room areas of 'I it home, sent floors crashing into the basement, and I ed ie foundation so badly that inside walls were left I JjaMto 30 degree angle. s1 FURNISHINGS WERE a scrambled mess. Fortunately there was no one at the Wilkes' home at the time of the accident. INJURED IN the wreck was Jerry A. Miner, 21, of 3461-7th East, Salt Lake City. He is reported in "fair" condition at Lakeview Hospital with multiple cuts and bruises, but no reports of broken bones. The loaded 10-wheel truck went "nose first" into the Wilkes' home with the cab embedded inside the kitchen and the truck bed flipped on top of the house. THE DRIVER was trapped inside the cab for nearly an hour before being rescued by Davis. County Sheriff deputies, assisted by North Salt Lake and Woods Cross police and the Utah Highway Patrol. Paramedics treated the injured driver at the scene and he was taken by South Davis ambulance to the hospital in Bountiful. SHERIFF SGT. Dale E. Bone said the truck was reported by witnesses as traveling 60 to 65 miles per hour through the intersection. "It's a good thing that it hit the parked vehicles before going airborne," said Sergeant Bone. "Hitting the cars slowed its speed and possibly prevented more serious injury to the driver." HE SAID the large dump truck virtually shoved one of the vehicles, a pickup truck, ahead of it and into the Wilkes' home. The other vehicle, a new compact station wagon, was demolished. Parts of both vehicles were scattered over a large area. "Thank God there was no one on Orchard Drive at the precise time that truck came roaring through the intersection," inter-section," said Sergeant Bone. "I can't believe that it missed all that heavy traffic that travels Orchard Drive at 9 a.m. "I HAVE never seen anything like this in all my years as a law enforcement officer. You wouldn't believe that all this destruction dould be caused by a traffic accident and no one was killed. It's a miracle to me." Mr. Vander Elst said he was writing bills for his car insurance when he "heard a tremendous crash." THE VANDER Elst garage was badly damaged by the impact of the truck into the vehicles. A camper atop the pickup was hurled atop the roof of the Wilkes1 home and the engine of the large dump truck broke and was tossed into the rear of the pickup as the two trucks came to rest inside the home. Sergeant Bone estimated damage to the Wilkes' home at "a total loss" of nearly $80,000, not including damage to furnishings. Damage to the garage was estimated at about $10,000 and $9,000 to the two smaller vehicles. THE DUMP truck was demolished, bringing the total damage estimate to "well over $125,000." Steve Jackson, a witness to the accident, said, "He (the truck) was doing at least 60 miles an hour through the intersection. When it hit those cars and house, it was like a gigantic explosion." ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED witness told investigating officers that he was stopped at the intersection (west on 3100 South) when he glanced in his rearview mirror and "saw this truck barreling down on me. I ran the stop sign and made a quick turn on Orchard just as the truck went roaring by. He missed me only a few feet and it would have been a catastrophe had there been traffic on Orchard Drive." Mr. Wilkes said he and his wife had left home a couple of hours earlier for work in Salt Lake City. He said he " was notified of the accident only that "a truck had hit , their home." "I DIDNT dream it was anything like this," he said. "I just couldn't believe that such a thing could happen." , He said they salvaged some clothing and may be able to find some undamaged furnishings. Mr. Wilkes termed the damage to his home and furnishings "as a complete loss." SERGEANT BONE said the truck loaded with gravel was westbound on 3100 South when the brakes failed "about halfway down." |