Accidents close US 50 twice
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Twice over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend motorists on US 50 in Ripley County were stalled as they waited for accidents to be cleaned up. Both accidents involved semi trucks.

The first accident occurred Saturday morning, November 26, near the Versailles State Park entrance at about 7:45 a.m.

According to information from Ripley County Sheriff Bill Davison, a semi tractor trailer driven by Ronald Walker, 42, of Alabama, hit ice on the bridge, struck the bridge and a guardrail and was then struck by a car driven by Katherine Aljets, 20, of Holton. Aljets was unable to avoid the collision. Her vehicle had minor damage.

The semi truck sustained heavy damage as did the bridge and guardrail, but neither of the drivers was injured in the collision.

Sheriff Davison noted that a bridge inspector for the state was called in and the roadway was closed for approximately three hours due to clean up. The accident was investigated by Deputy Bill Dramann, Sgt. Marvin Smith and Reserve Officer Don Edwards. The Versailles Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene as well as state highway workers.

The second accident that closed the highway for approximately three and a half hours, occurred Sunday evening, November 27 about 5:34 p.m. at US 50 and Michigan Road.

According to Sgt. Randy Holt of the Ripley County Sheriff's Department, Elsie K. Franklin, 72, of Holton, was driving north on Michigan Road and failed to yield as she proceeded onto US 50. Her vehicle was struck by a 2005 Freightliner tractor trailer which was driven by Melvin E. Porter, 59, of Lexington, KY, who was traveling eastbound on US 50.

The driver of the semi was able to escape without injury as the rig burst into flames. When firefighters arrived the tractor was fully engulfed in fire.

Franklin was transported to the King's Daughters' Hospital in Madison for treatment of minor injuries.

The accident is under investigation by the Ripley County Sheriff's Department, who was assisted at the scene by the Holton and Versailles fire departments, Rescue 69, Ripley County Medic, Holton Police Department, Ripley County Emergency Management and the Indiana State Police.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Sgt. Randy Holt gathers information as firefighters from both the Holton and Versailles fire departments battled the flames which had fully engulfed a semi tractor at an accident that occurred at US 50 and Michigan Road Sunday evening, November 27. No one was seriously injured in the crash.