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January 7, 2009

Loop wreck injures local woman

By Rich Flowers News Editor

A 68-year-old Athens woman was in critical condition at East Texas Medical Center Tyler Tuesday after a two-car collision on Loop 7 Monday afternoon, according to Athens Police Department reports.

At 1:17 p.m., Melba Robertson Riddle was driving a 1999 Toyota Corolla westbound on the north side of the loop as Lonny C. Sewell, 37, of Athens approached and headed east, in a 1999 Ford Explorer.

The Toyota hydroplaned on the wet roadway, spun counter-clockwise one-and-a-quarter times and skidded into the path of the Explorer. The vehicles collided, separated then made contact a second time before coming to a stop.

The wreck happened about a half-mile west of the Loop 7 intersection with Farm-to-Market Road 1616.

Paramedics, Athens firefighters and the hazmat team responded to the wreck. Riddle was transported by paramedics to ETMC Athens then transferred to Tyler. Sewell was taken to ETMC Athens for treatment of non-life threatening injuries and later released.

“There was major damage to both vehicles with one coming right into the path of the other one,” Athens Police Lt. Mike Davis said.

Officer Ron McCurry, who investigated the wreck, reported that the Toyota was traveling at an unsafe speed considering to the slick road conditions.

“I think it’s because of the oil coming out of the roadway, because we’ve had such hot days, and the light rain,” Davis said. “It’s slick.”

An 18-wheeler jackknifed earlier in the day near the site of the Toyota-Explorer collision, Davis said. No one was seriously hurt in that wreck.

“We had several wrecks (Monday) because of the slick roads,” Davis said. “Our officers worked multiple accidents throughout the day. One officer had been out on five by 5 p.m. and a few minutes after had to work another one.”

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