Motorists cautioned to stop at Wye
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

“Stop. Stop. Stop.” Those words of advice were given from law enforcement after an accident occurred last Wednesday at the Wye construction site at Versailles. The accident has law enforcement officials concerned.

“People have become used to seeing the construction signs and they don’t read them completely,” offered Sgt. Dan Goris of the Indiana State Police, the officer who investigated the motorcycle accident. He noted that the new three-way stop at the construction site could confuse motorists, especially those who have been driving in the area all their lives.

When Gary Walston was northbound on US 421, he crested the small hill and realized a semi tractor-trailer was pulling out in front of him. What he didn’t realize was there was actually a stop sign he (Walston) was supposed to stop at as well. At first he thought the semi driver was at fault and later (from a hospital bed) learned he was the one who hadn’t stopped. The problem was Walston had driven that road numerous times and didn’t expect to see the stop sign in that particular area.
Walston and his wife, Lori, of Osgood, were both injured and transported to Margaret Mary Community Hospital. They were both thrown off the motorcycle they were on when Gary tried to avoid colliding with the semi.

“Law enforcement is aware of the problem and are working with the state to alleviate more accidents in the area,” noted Sgt. Goris. He said he had been in touch with officials from the state and they are erecting additional signs to alert motorists of the situation.

One of the main things motorists should do when approaching any construction zone is to slow down. Then be completely aware of signs that give direction and watch for workers.

Versailles Marshal David Adams was also at the scene and noted that it is a bad area right now. He said he stopped a motorist who blew through a stop sign and the man was completely unaware of what he had just done. “Old habits die hard,” noted Adams, who agreed with Goris that people need to slow way down when approaching the construction at the Wye intersection of US 50 and US 421.

The Ripley County Sheriff’s Department, Versailles Fire Department, and Rescue 69 also assisted at the scene on Wednesday, June 7.

Friday, June 9 was a busy day for law enforcement and emergency crews as they worked three accidents back to back. Beginning at about 4:38 p.m. Jeremy Hughes, 28, of Holton, was operating a log truck northbound on US 421 after just turning off of US 50 westbound. He was headed toward the new three-way stop at the construction site at the Wye and said he didn’t have any brakes.
Hughes turned the truck so it would hit a building at Southeastern Indiana Water Co. instead of any oncoming traffic. The truck overturned and Hughes had a minor shoulder injury.

While officers responded to a second accident on US 50 near the Pine Hills Golf Course (information was not available at press time), they were dispatched to an incident at Versailles on US 50 at the Shell Station.

Sheriff Davison noted that a farm tractor operated by Matthew Swinney of Osgood, had a broken hydraulic hose leaking fluid onto the roadway. Joseph Morris, 27, of Aurora, and Brenda Sizemore, 56, of Osgood, were both involved in an accident at the Shell Station, but neither was injured according to police.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO The area at the Wye in Versailles was the scene of accidents last week as motorists navigated through the construction zone on US 50 and US 421. This log truck being operated by Jeremy Hughes of Holton crashed after he said his brakes failed. He opted to run into a building instead of hitting any traffic in the area.