Toddler critically injured
Published 6:00 am Saturday, February 10, 2001
A three-vehicle accident on Zetus Road Wednesday afternoon lefta toddler struggling for his life and two others injured.
Donna Calcote and her five-year-old son, Brett, were taken toKing’s Daughters Medical Center where they were treated andreleased. Calcote’s two-year-old son, Tyler, was transferred toUniversity Medical Center in Jackson where he was listed incritical condition in the pediatric intensive care unit. The othertwo drivers were uninjured.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department accidentreport, Calcote, of 3180 Bouie Mill Road, was traveling west onZetus Road when the vehicle in front of her, driven by AvaCatherine Moore, attempted to turn left into a residentialdrive.
Moore was at a complete stop waiting for a gravel truck that wastraveling east to clear the lane, so she could turn into herdriveway. The truck was driven by driven by Russell Daniels ofThompson Backhoe Service.
Calcote did not immediately realize Moore’s vehicle had stoppedahead of her, according to statements she gave deputies at thescene.
“She had both her kids buckled up in the backseat, and she wasdistracted by them. When Donna Calcote looked up, she swerved intothe other lane to try to avoid hitting the stopped vehicle,” saidSheriff Lynn Boyte.
The report shows that Calcote realized the gravel truck wascoming toward her, and tried to get to the left side of the road.Her van struck the edge of Moore’s vehicle before colliding withthe gravel truck.
The force of the impact caused the gravel truck’s bed tocompletely detach from the frame and come to rest 30 yardsaway.
“It was just an unfortunate accident where in a split secondsomething like this can happen,” said Boyte, adding that histhoughts were with the families during this difficult time.