Sparks were flying from the box trailer of an 18-wheeler Friday, July 17, as it was making its way down Ramsey Mountain and across the viaduct into Batesville.
Authorities told White River Now that it wasn’t until the rig arrived at the intersection of Saint Louis and Harrison Streets before the driver, identified as Steve Carpenter, 66, of Batesville, was apparently made aware that six of the eight tires on the trailer were rotten and had come apart with some fire involved.
According to witnesses, the tractor-trailer had traveled some distance on the wheel rims.
Information from the Batesville Police Department and the Batesville Fire Department indicated the box trailer was more or less a “junk” trailer and was being pulled, according to what Carpenter told police, to the scrap yard north of Batesville.
Carpenter was cited with three violations: driving a vehicle/trailer with no registration or expired tags; spilling a load on the highway; and driving an unsafe vehicle.
Above image via Joe Payne
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