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From our July 27, 2000, edition.
Two train wrecks hit Hedley in 24 hrs
By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise
Two men narrowly escaped with their lives last week when
Hedley was the site of two separate train collisions within 24 hours.
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| Fire
fighters look over the remains of Rodney McCracken's semi-truck. The
Hereford man was hit by a BNSF train last Thursday at Hedley.
Enterprise Digital Photo |
The first accident happened Thursday, July 20. Reports say an
eastbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train struck a semi-truck
driven by 30-year-old Rodney McCracken of Hereford.
McCracken was southbound on McDougal Street at about 9 a.m.
when the impact occurred, rending the truck from its trailer and dragging
it more than 100 feet.
The driver of the truck was taken to Northwest Texas Hospital
where he was treated and released, reports say.
Driver inattention was given as the cause of the Hereford
man’s accident.
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| Hedley
man James Edward Potts suffered a broken neck after his Chevy pickup
was hit by a BNSF train Friday at Hedley.
Enterprise Digital Photo |
On Friday, July 21, another accident happened on the opposite
side of Hedley at about 8 a.m.
DPS trooper Daniel Hawthorne said 45-year-old James Edward
Potts of Hedley was eastbound on Railroad Street when he turned right on
Bailey Street to cross the BNSF tracks.
An eastbound train struck Potts’ Chevrolet extended cab
pickup in the passenger side door. The bed of the truck was torn loose and
came to rest down the track from the mangled cab.
Potts is blind in his right eye, Hawthorne said, and he
probably didn’t see the train coming.
The Hedley man was flown to Northwest Texas Hospital by
Lifestar and was still in serious but stable condition Monday afternoon, a
relative said.
Potts suffered a broken neck in the accident.