6.3

Chicken Truck Crash Leads to an Inconvenient Pile-Up 

 Monday at 6 p.m., an accident involving a semi-truck transporting chickens caused an 11-car pileup at the corner of McFarland and 15th St.

Sergeant John Jones says the crash occurred as a result from Jeff Johnson, a driver out of Alberta City, making an illegal left turn.  Twenty-five people were involved in the accident and police say as many as 300 suffered.

Twenty-three people involved with the accident walked away with only bruises. The truck driver and one other driver have been hospitalized, but are in good condition. Johnson, who was the semi-truck driver, has bruising and a possible broken ankle and the other hospitalized person has a slight concussion but in good condition.

Jones says, “It was the biggest pile-up I’ve ever seen. Lots and lots of smashed bumpers but the worst part was the screams of the chickens. Those things sure do make a lotta noise, you know.”

Police say the 12 cars involved have minor damage. At least 30 chickens are dead; Jones commented about the hefty amount of smashed eggs, “It was so hot out there I thought we might have fried eggs for dinner.” However, 40 chickens seen as very valuable and insured for $10 each remain missing.

A chicken company executive, pres. Carlton Fitzsimmons, asks that if chickens are found they be returned to Alabama Poultry, Inc. These chickens are considered very valuable as they supply eggs to IGA stores across the south. According to Fitzsimmons the dead and missing chickens are worth over $700.