Log truck overturns, dumps load

Robert Honeycutt, stands next to his truck that overturned when he drove off onto the soft shoulder to give an oncoming box truck room to pass. Photo by Sarah Hall

A log truck overturned Monday morning, taking out a power pole and blocking traffic when it dumped the load it was carrying across St. Stephens Road. Photo by Sarah Hall

By Sarah Hall

shall@salisburypost.com

GOLD HILL — A log truck overturned and dumped its load when it failed to make a curve on St. Stephen's Church Road around 8 a.m. Monday morning.

Robert Honeycutt II, 39, of Salisbury, was driving a 1987 Freightliner tractor-trailer south. He moved over to make room for an approaching truck in the other lane.

Trooper D.H. Deal of the N.C. Highway Patrol said the 15-foot wide road isn't big enough for the two trucks.

When Honeycutt tried to get his truck back on the pavement, the right side of the trailer tires went in the ditch, causing the load to shift. The rig overturned, spilling the logs.

Honeycutt was not injured.

The trailer was owned by Charlie Shepherd of S&S Logging.

Kepley Towing worked to clean up the spilled logs and truck.

St. Stephens Church Road near the Gold Hill Fire Department was closed most of the morning.

Tom Small, owner of the property where the truck overturned, expressed concern about a septic tank a few feet from where the truck came to rest.

"Big trucks ought not to be on this road," said Small. "They can't make the turns. They should take (Old) Beatty Ford Road."

An hour after the wreck, traffic was still blocked. The truck also took down a power pole and Duke Energy was on the scene, assessing the situation.

Deal said speed was not a factor.

"The cause was just a narrow road and a soft shoulder," he said.

Deal said large trucks routinely travel narrow roads throughout the county. "Some don't have a choice," he said. "They need to stay on larger roads if possible."