Early Wednesday morning, while local law enforcement officers and medical personnel were busy working multiple accidents at numerous locations, including all along Interstate 55, Arkansas State Police Trooper First Class Todd Harris received a call from dispatch of an overturned 18-wheeler at the 28-mile marker near the Mississippi County/Crittenden County line.
Harris was first on the scene and found that a semi had slid down the embankment, had overturned and landed in a drainage ditch of icy water.
He also found that a lady was still in the partially submerged truck and complaining of injury.
Mississippi County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) Deputies Matt Malone and Lt. Jay Bohannon also responded to the call. They found the truck had been driven by a husband and wife team. The husband lost control of the truck due to patches of ice on the interstate and his wife had been sleeping in the "sleeper" portion of the tractor. The impact of the accident threw the 61-year old lady out of the bed and into the windshield.
As a result, Harris and Malone removed their "duty gear" and waded into water three feet deep, despite the temperature on the scene being 28 degrees, to get the woman out of the truck. Once they removed her from the vehicle they placed her on a spine board and the two men, along with the help of MCSD Patrol Commander Lt. Bohannon, carried her through the ice and water to a waiting Pafford ambulance.
Wednesday's rescue once again shows how interagency cooperation is second nature for Mississippi County area law enforcement officers and medical personnel.
"We're always working really good together. I'm so proud of my guys and the troopers in this area," Bohannon said, "I'm very proud of him [Deputy Matt Malone]. He does an excellent job. He doesn't' hesitant when something is needed he just does it."
"The ASP, the MCSD, local police departments and all the medical personnel and first responders have done a great job. That kind of teamwork between departments is what keeps Mississippi County residents safe...it's certainly never a one man shot, it's a team effort," Harris said, "I also want to point out how well the dispatchers are doing. They work very hard fielding hundreds of calls, to get people where they need to go."
The wife was transported to the Med in Memphis and has since been released. The husband was evaluated on the scene, but did not require medical attention.
thenry@blythevillecourier.com