The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Turtle crossing the road blamed for 3-van pileup





Pictured is one of three vans involved in a pileup near Whitesburg Saturday morning after one of the vans slowed for a turtle crossing the road.

Pictured is one of three vans involved in a pileup near Whitesburg Saturday morning after one of the vans slowed for a turtle crossing the road.

A turtle is blamed for three church vans wrecking on US 119 North on Saturday morning.

While trying to avoid hitting a turtle in the road, the driver of the lead van swerved and locked up the brakes causing the second van to collide into the back of the first van, said Whitesburg Police Officer Michael Blair. The third van hit the back of the second van.

The wreck happened at 9:30 a.m. on July 18 near Howard Carpet at Ermine. The three vans were carrying 26 passengers, two of whom were treated on the scene for minor cuts.

Two of the vans were towed. A Letcher County school bus transported passengers to Whitesburg Baptist Church.

The group was on its way back to Chicago following a mission trip.

The turtle died in the wreck.


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