01/08/2014
Can you imagine??? This one def belongs in the debris hall of fame. www.j4traffic.com
These motorists, whom we are not identifying, endured a very frightening moment shortly before 11 a.m. today as they were driving on Route 95 southbound in Topsfield. A landscaper driving a dump truck in front of them had failed to properly secure an axe, which flew off the truck and struck the windshield of the car behind it. Thankfully, the axe only went halfway through the windshield. The passenger who is partially seen in the photo was shaken up (who wouldn't be?) but not injured. Trooper Joseph Risteen of the Newbury Barracks responded to the scene and cited the truck driver, who is from Peabody, for failure to secure cargo, which carries a $200 fine. Two important lessons here: 1.) Contractors and all other motorists are reminded to properly secure items they are transporting, including tools, building materials, bicycles, canoes, luggage, furniture, beach chairs, and the like. 2.) The man whose car was struck was obeying the speed limit, driving about 65 mph. If he had been speeding, the increased velocity of his car would have increased the power of the axe's impact, meaning it could very well have gone through the glass and injured his passenger. Please remember those lessons. We are very thankful that this situation did not have a worse ending.
