March 29, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

City Solid Waste Truck Crashes Through Traffic

■ Officials credit air bags with saving lives

A Shreveport Bossier City Solid Waste truck crossed through four lanes of opposing traffic and crashed into two vehicles before coming to a smoldering rest across a rain soaked Hearne Avenue this afternoon. The accident occurred during heavy traffic near I-20 at the intersection of Claiborne Avenue and Hearne Avenue at just after 3:00 p.m. Calvin Pennywell, 45, a passenger in the city vehicle, said that the air brakes of the solid waste truck malfunctioned and caused the vehicle to careen out of control.

The truck was exiting the eastbound lane of I-20 at Hearne Avenue when it reportedly lost its brakes. Both the driver and Pennywell struggled to stop the vehicle, pulling the emergency parking brake and even attempting to shift the huge truck into reverse, but to no avail. As the truck crossed through the intersection and into the northbound lanes of Hearne Avenue it was struck broadside by a late model Chevrolet Camero, driven by Dottie Pope, 31, of Shreveport. The Camero was then struck by a North American Van Lines moving truck, driven by Cheryl Smith, 41, of Shreveport, that was also traveling north on Hearne. The car ended up under the middle carriage of the solid waste truck and the moving truck lie smashed into the passenger side of the Camero.

Pope and his passenger, 22-year-old Lakieha James of Shreveport, sustained moderate injuries and were treated and transported by fire department paramedics to local hospitals: Pope to Willis Knighton Medical Center on Greenwood Road and James to LSU. Fire officials credit the air bags of the Camero with saving the couples life. Both the driver and passenger side front air bags of the Camero deployed on impact. Because of the impact and then sudden deceleration of the accident, without the air bags, it is more than likely that they would have been thrown from the vehicle. ###