Wreck, faulty RR arms create driving havoc

Chandler PD Photo CHAOTIC MORNING -- A westbound tractor trailer snagged a sagging telephone line Friday morning on Hwy. 31, in Chandler creating a domino effect when an eastbound tractor trailer (pictured) also caught the line pulling down three utility poles and stopping traffic.

It was a morning of mayhem and mishap in Chandler Friday morning when a sagging telephone line across Highway 31 was snagged by an westbound tractor trailer just as a eastbound tractor trailer passed through also catching in the line. To add insult to injury the railroad crossing arms just around the corner at FM 315, just south of Highway 31, were stuck in the down position creating even more havoc for motorists.

According to Chandler Assistant Chief of Police James P. Lehman, around 7:10 a.m., the westbound 2003 Iken tractor trailer, driven by Larry Joe Johnson, Jr., 28, of Waco, was traveling through Chandler when his oversized load caught on the telephone line that crossed over Hwy. 31 at Hardee, pulling the line down.

Within seconds, an eastbound tractor trailer, driven by Gregory Peck Williams, 47, of Waco, caught on the stretched out cable pulling down three utility poles. The wires hung up in the mirror and cab causing the tractor trailer to slide forward, Lehman said.

Lehman, who happened to be driving his police cruiser behind Williams at the time said he became concerned about the wires because he thought they were high power. It wasn’t until Chandler VFD Chief Robert York, an electrician, arrived on the scene that Lehman learned they were telephone lines. Then, just when Lehman thought things couldn’t get any worse, a utility pole by the post office fell down about four car lengths in front of him.

“For some reason there was a big gap in traffic,” Lehman said. “There could have been some very serious injuries.”

Williams was taken to ETMC Tyler where he was treated and released for his injuries.

“The westbound 18-wheeler was so wide and tall he could not find a place to stop until he got out of the city,” Lehman said.

DPS Trooper Perdue from Tyler performed a load inspection on the westbound 18-wheeler and found it to be actually three inches under the height he was permitted to use.

“The westbound driver had an escort to make sure he wouldn’t hit the lines,” Lehman said. “He was going the designated route the state told him to go.”

While officials began the task of clearing off the road, Lehman said three accidents

occurred in the post office parking lot due to the inattention of drivers watching the action.

“It was very confusing when it happened,” he said.

Meanwhile, while officials were clearing up the accident Lehman said a local merchant notified him that a white male, later identified as Wayne Gordon Massey, 43, of Chandler, had jacked up the southbound railroad crossing arm. He then drove his 18-wheeler tractor through and conducted his business in Chandler, Lehman said.

“It’s been a daily thing for weeks for the arms to stick once they’re down,” Lehman said. “He (the merchant) called and said you’d better get over here. Someone’s going to get killed.”

While Lehman is in route, the local merchant calls back to inform Lehman he removed the jack for fear an oncoming train would hit an unsuspecting motorist.

“As I am pulling up to the tracks, the man (Massey) is rejacking the arm with a jack,” Lehman said. “The law says you cannot disregard an official traffic device. Even if there is no train coming.”

The problem with the arms started about 4:30 p.m., Thursday, when the arms lowered and would not lift. Rush hour traffic was a nightmare for motorists as traffic backed up on FM 315 south to the Kidd Jones by the Wildewood subdivision; on Hwy 31 east all the way to the Good Year

plant, and Hwy. 31 west to the Kickapoo Bottoms towards Brownsboro, Lehman said.

CPD Officer Tim Jones spent the night directing traffic through the downed arm until around 5:30 a.m. Volunteers from Chandler VFD took over traffic control while Union Pacific railroad workers attempted to remedy the problem. Traffic continued at a slow pace until both the tractor trailer incident was cleared and the arm was repaired around late Friday morning.

“It was a major cluster here,” Lehman said. “If you’ve ever been through here between four to six it’s already a mess.”

To top the evening off, the traffic light at the intersection of Hwy. 31 and FM 315 began to malfunction calling on Chandler fire department volunteers to direct traffic.

“The traffic flow is controlled by the cameras,” Lehman said. “When there was so much traffic backed up here the computer became confused and went on a time out.”

Neither driver in the tractor trailer incident were charged, Lehman said. However, Massey was arrested and taken to the Henderson County jail and charged with interfering with railroad property. Massey was released on a personal $250 bond.

Lehman said since there were no injuries Massey was charged with a Class C misdemeanor.