Published: December 03, 2008 09:13 am      

Fatal wreck in Galena closes U.S. 150

Thousands left without power after power line damaged

GALENA — One man has died and another was seriously injured in a head-on collision at approximately 2:05 p.m. Tuesday at the 7300 block of U.S. 150 in Galena.

The deceased is Randy Purlee, 58, of Salem, a semi-truck driver for Koetter and Smith Wood Shavings. Injured was Patrick Best, 57, of Greenville.

The semi-truck, carrying sawdust, burst into flames after the crash, trapping Purlee inside the cab, according to an Indiana State Police press release. Best, who was driving a black Toyota Camry, was transported by StatCare Air Ambulance to University Hospital in Louisville with serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to the release, but Floyd County Sheriff Darrell Mills described the injuries as “very serious.”

A preliminary investigation found that the Camry was traveling westbound on U.S. 150 and crossed the center lane divider, striking the truck.

The semi went off the south side of the road and overturned with the trailer blocking the highway. The sawdust was spilled across the road.

Mills said the car may have been trying to pass another vehicle, but that will have to be determined by the Floyd County Accident Reconstruction Team, which investigates all fatal accidents.

Joe Emily, who works nearby, was startled by the crash.

"I was back in the shop working and I heard a large boom. I didn't know what it was. At first I thought someone hit the house," said Emily, of Emily's Welding, which is located on U.S. 150 near the accident. "I heard something blow up. I think I heard three big booms. It rattled the shop.

"This is a bad area here. You come up here and you can't see the bottom of the hill.”

Representatives from Koetter and Smith Wood Shavings arrived at the scene shortly after the wreck to identify the victim and assist in clean-up operations.

U.S. 150 will remain closed overnight between Featherengill Road and Clover Creek Road while cleanup continues and utility crews repair fiberoptic lines that were severely damaged as a result of this afternoon's crash, resulting in lost power to a few thousand properties. Utility crews will do their best to have the roadway open by the morning commute, but motorists should anticipate possible delays in the morning. It is expected to reopen around noon Wednesday.

The Floyd County Highway Department will have detour signs directing motorists through the area. The detour route will go through the Clover Creek Subdivision to Old Vincennes and onto Featherengill back to U.S. 150. Drivers are asked to use caution especially while traveling through the subdivision.

The damage also disrupted 911 service, but Mills said people could still use cell phones to call if there was an emergency. He said he would have reserve officers at the scene so that the department would not have to pay officers for overtime.

The accident reconstruction team continues to investigate this crash. As is standard in all fatal crashes, toxicology tests will be performed on both drivers, the results of which may take several weeks to confirm, the ISP release says.

The determination of any appropriate criminal charges will be decided once the investigation is completed and turned over to Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson.