Vernal Express | 1980-04-03 | Page 1 | Truck Driver Killed in Crash at Windy Point

a . TOO MUCH SPEED coming down U-44 towards Vernal was the end of the line for this truck and driver. The truck loaded with pipe could not negotiate the turn at Windy Point and flipped over two times killing its driver. Truck driver killed in crash at Windy Point A Minnesota truck driver was killed Friday at approximately 9:30 a.m. when his semi-trailer unit loaded with pipe failed to negotiate the first switchback switch-back on Highway U-44 leaving Ashley National Forest. According to Utah Highway Patrol Trooper K. Jackson, the unit was estimated to be traveling 60 miles per hour when it hit the Windy Point turn 17 miles north of Vernal. The vehicle was southbound and left the road into the lookout area where it rolled over twice before coming to a stop upside down. The driver, who was killed at the scene, was Thomas James Oberman, 34, Fairmont, Minnesota. The truck was a cabover tractor operated by Sammons Trucking Co., Missoula, Montana and registered to Marcellus T. Nawrocki, Fairmont, Minn. Damages to the truck were estimated at $80,000.