Driver suffers minor injuries in rollover

May 2, 2012

This tractor-trailer, driven by Randy Hugus of St. Marys, lost control while negotiating a curve on Route 119 Wednesday, which caused the rig to roll over onto the front yard of Randy Shultz of Covode. (Photo by Larry McGuire)

COVODE — It happened all over again — for the third time in three years — as another truck rolled over in the same exact location on Route 119 in Covode, when the driver of the tractor-trailer took the curve in Covode too fast and rolled up onto Randy Shultz’s front yard around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Shultz said he has lived on Route 119 at the curve for three years, and not only do the trucks roll over into his yard, the cars do, too.

“Last winter, there were eight cars wrecked in my yard, and this is the third tractor-trailer that has wrecked here in three years,” he said, adding that no one is enforcing the speed on the curve, and there are no guardrails.

“This has to be one of the deadliest curves in Pennsylvania,” Shultz said.

He said he and his wife were just putting the finishing touches on a new railing he had installed following the last accident that occurred Aug. 5, 2011, at the very same location. In that incident, a fence and a dumpster were destroyed in the wreck.

“We finished painting the railing today, and it didn’t last more than a couple of hours,” Shultz said.

“This is why we put this railing up: To protect my grandkids and anyone else who would be in this yard when one of these tractor-trailers roll over onto my yard,” Shultz said.

According to Punxsutawney-based Pennsylvania State Police, the tractor-trailer, driven by Randy Hugus, St. Marys, was traveling north on Route 119 when he took the curve too quickly and rolled the truck and trailer, crushing the cab and spilling his load of concrete reinforcement wire mesh into Shutlz’s yard.

Emergency responders said they couldn’t believe that Hugus walked away from the crash since the cab was crushed in the wreck.

Police said Hugus was flown from the scene via medical helicopter to an area trauma center for treatment of unknown injuries.

Police were assisted at the scene by the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department, Central Fire Department, Marion Center Volunteer Fire Department and Jefferson County EMS.