Exercise 7.3

Chicken Truck Causes large pile-up, 25 Injured

Story Highlights:

• A 12 car pile-up occured Monday at the corner of McFarland Boulevard and 15th Street
• The driver, Jeff Johnson, and a local retired teacher, Sarah Bernell, were both hospitalized
• Thirty chickens died in the accident and about 40 remain unaccounted for
• Both Johnson and Bernell are in good condition
• The damage to the 12 cars was minor
• The injuries to the 23 other people were also minor, most just with bruising
• If any chickens are found, please take them to Alabama Poultry Inc.

Alabama Poultry Inc. uses their 20,000 chickens to
suppy eggs to IGA stores across the south. 

Monday evening on the corner of McFarland Boulevard and 15th Street, the driver of a semi-truck full of chickens made an illegal left turn and caused a 12 car pile-up.

The pile-up resulted in 2 hospitalizations, 23 injuries and approximately 40 missing chickens.

Jeff Johnson, the 45-year-old truck driver for Alabama Poultry Inc., made it out with bruises and what appeared to be a broken ankle. Sarah Bernell, a 63-year-old passenger in one of the cars involved, was also admitted to the hospital due to injuries sustained in the accident.

About 300 chickens suffered injuries and at least 30 died in the accident. Many more were trapped inside the truck wreckage until firemen arrived.

Clarence DiMotta, the hospital's spokesperson, reported that Johnson and Bernell are both in good condition. Bernell is thought to have a slight concussion.

"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," Sergeant John Jones of the McFarland Police said.

The chickens were being driven to one of the company's new farms near Gadsden. Alabama Poultry president Carlton Fitzsimmon reported that the dead and missing chicken will cost his company around $700. If any of the chickens are found, they should be returned immediately to Alabama Poultry Inc.

Other than Johnson and Bernell, 23 people were injured in the pile-up, but only with bruising. No one else was admitted to the hospital. The damage done to the 12 cars involved was minor. The same cannot be said of the eggs, though, as a lot of smashed ones were found in the truck's wreckage.

"It was so hot out there I thought we might have fried eggs for dinner," Jones said.