By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
A firetruck from the Woodleaf Fire Department was involved in a crash on Woodleaf Road Tuesday morning.
While serious, the accident wasn’t as severe as it appeared. The front end of the car that was struck by the firetruck was obliterated. The truck careened into a yard, threatening to roll onto its side.
“I’ve seen much-less-serious accidents where fatalities were involved,” said Trooper A.J. Carpenter of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
The drivers of the firetruck and the car it crashed into were both taken by ambulance to Rowan Regional Medical Center. Carpenter said neither injury appeared life-threatening.
The firetruck wasn’t responding to an emergency call at the time of the accident.
The truck, a 2000 Freightliner, was driven by Joseph “Bubba” Gregory, 38, of Potneck Road. The car it struck was a 2002 Pontiac driven by Latoya Garndner, 26, of Stanwyck Road.
Carpenter said the truck was traveling east on Woodleaf Road and two cars had stopped in front of it. He said Gregory didn’t have time to stop and swerved to the left to avoid rear-ending the vehicles.
The truck crossed the center line and struck the Pontiac that was traveling west. The car came to rest in its lane of travel while the truck continued into a yard. Gregory was charged with driving left of center.
The accident happened shortly before 9 a.m. in the 3400 block of Woodleaf Road, about a quarter-mile west of the road’s intersection with West Ridge and Enon Church roads.
Woodleaf Road was closed until about 11 a.m. as the damage was cleared.
Artie Watson said that in his 13 years as chief of the Woodleaf Fire Department, the wreck was the first involving one of his department’s vehicles. He said the truck that Gregory was driving is the department’s primary response vehicle and will be out of commission for an unspecified period of time.
But Watson said he was relieved the accident wasn’t worse.
“We can fix trucks,” he said. “People are what we’re worried about.”
Watson said the truck didn’t miss rolling onto its passenger side by much.
“It was sitting at a pretty good angle,” he said.
Frank Thomason, director of Rowan County Emergency Services, hustled to the scene as soon as he heard of the accident. He said firefighters with neighboring Cleveland, Franklin and Scotch Irish fire departments have volunteered to help Woodleaf with calls until its truck is repaired.
“They shouldn’t see any difference in service,” Thomason said of those served by the Woodleaf department.
He said members of the Cleveland Fire Department have even offered to loan one of their reserve firetrucks to Woodleaf.
Watson said Woodleaf has seven fire vehicles, though he also noted of the wrecked truck, “This is our primary one.”
Before leaving, Thomason shook Watson’s hand.
“Anything else you need, don’t hesitate to call,” Thomason said.
Watson managed a grin.
“I need a firetruck,” he said.