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September 2, 2010

Woman dies, 3 hospitalized in rural Anderson crash

Trustee says church pleaded for four-way stop at intersection

By Dave Stafford The Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON, Ind. — A woman died and three other people were transported to hospitals after a collision Thursday afternoon at 38th Street and Layton Road. Members of a church at the intersection said afterward that they have begged local officials to put a four-way stop there.

Minivan passenger Treva May, 84, of the 5900 block of South County Road 200 East, died in an ambulance en route to a hospital after the crash shortly after 1 p.m., Anderson police Sgt. William Casey said Thursday evening.

Three other people were injured, but only one remained hospitalized, Casey said. Their identities were not available late Thursday. The minivan driver, May’s husband, Myron May, 77, complained of pain after the accident but did not require treatment.

Casey said investigators believe May was driving on Layton Road and ran through a stop sign, where a westbound Ford F-350 dually pickup driven by Menno Glick, 57, of Middlebury, collided with the vehicle. The pickup bore the decal of Colemen Construction of Middlebury.

In the course of the crash, the pickup glanced from the collision and sheared a wooden utility pole along the south side of 38th Street. What remained of the pole dangled from overhead power lines several feet above ground on Thursday afternoon.

Emergency responders and Anderson Municipal Light & Power crews worked nearly five hours after the crash to clear the intersection.

The truck was hauling a trailer that became detached and rolled on its side in a field southeast of the intersection.

That property is owned by Jim Jeffries, chief trustee for Bethel United Methodist Church, which is also at the corner where the crash happened. The church reopened just this week, more than a year after a car drove into the church in a fiery crash that required the sanctuary to be rebuilt..

“There have been three accidents in three years. One burned the church down and two killed people,” said Connie Kanable, a church member who said congregants have pleaded with city and county officials to put a four-way stop at the intersection. “We wonder what it will take.”

Jeffries said he met with city and county officials regarding the intersection. “They told us out here about 10 days ago that it didn’t merit having a four-way stop out there,” Jeffries said.

“It’s kind of dangerous to see something like this happening and think we could have avoided it. That’s what’s got us a little bit upset.”

Jeffries said people should use caution in the area, noting he’s seen many crashes and near-crashes from his home, and he said the church is a hub of daily activity. “I think somebody really ought to address it and put a sign out there,“ he said.

City and county officials with knowledge of the situation could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. Casey said no charges were expected.

Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com

 

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