| An accident involving two vehicles occurred when a fog cloud
rolled out of the Holly Sugar factory on Saturday morning. Just as the
cloud hit near mile post 92 on Highway 85, a 1998 Ford Explorer, driven by
Dorothy Cruse of Torrington, veered to the left and struck a 1989 Chevy
pickup, driven by Jose Lanjeros Jr., of Torrington, head on.
Luckily no severe injuries were reported, according to Wyoming State
Trooper Lt. Dave Cunningham. Lanjeros was transported to the hospital but
treated and released with minor injuries.
No tickets were issued.
Police Chief Billy Janes said fog-related accidents occur on that
stretch of highway every year, and he urges drivers to use due care.
"We've worked on this issue for years, and there's nothing we can
do to prevent it," he said. "There's no way to predict when (the
fog cloud) happens."
Steam from the factory will be coming out of the stacks when a wind
will blow it over the highway, so visibility can become zero anywhere from
the river bridge to Jirdon Agri Chemical, Janes said.
"It's scary," he said of the fog. "You can see all the
way to town to just your hand in front of your face in a matter of
seconds."
Janes said the state highway department considered putting up flashing
lights, but "there is no way to say when it would happen, so we're
better off making the drivers use their own caution rather than warning
them when it's not necessary."
In other words, Janes said drivers would get used to the flashing
lights when there isn't a problem and eventually ignore them.
Cunningham recommends that when drivers approach the cloud to
"turn on headlights, slow down, try and stay in your lane of travel
and don't make any sudden moves from your lane." |