Three vehicles crashed on the Grantsville side of Hog Knob Hill shortly after noon yesterday, sending five or more people
to Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center, some of them children.
Virginia Harris, 28, was seriously injured after a Toyota van spun out of control on rain slick Hog Knob Hill and pinned
her against a large U-Haul truck. She is the wife of Pastor Jeff Harris, 34, formerly of the New Testament Baptist Church
at Big Springs. Harris was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center by their Critical Care mobile unit, after HealthNet
was unable to land at Grantsville because of bad weather.
Harris is reportedly suffering from trauma to the lower extremities. She is undergoing emergency surgery tonight. At least
five people received some injury in the crash, two miles east of Grantsville on State Route 5.
Deputy Sheriff Carl Ballengee said the highway was "very slippery," wreckage strung up and down the road.
A red Pontiac Grand Am headed west and driven by Jamie Myers of Big Bend was the first vehicle that reportedly spun out of
control,
striking the U-Haul truck, which was traveling east. The U-Haul truck was driven by Pastor Jeff Harris. After going left of
center and impacting the U-Haul, the Pontiac skidded across the highway and landed in a grassy field.
Harris, who had a child in the U-Haul, exited the truck to check on occupants in the wrecked Myer's auto. Mrs. Harris,
who was traveling behind the U-Haul with the rest of her family, exited and ran toward the U-Haul, at which time a second
vehicle reportedly came down the rain slick hill, a Toyota van driven by Debbie Hartshorn of Mt. Zion. Harris was then struck and
injured, according to the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department.
Deputy Sheriff Charlie Richards said Mrs. Harris was excited because she saw smoke coming from the U-Haul truck,
fearing for the safety of a child. She was attempting to console the child when she was struck, he said.
The Hartshorn vehicle continued in a skid and went back across the highway, crashing against the wrecked Myer's
vehicle.
Hartshorn was treated and released last evening. A report on the other injured parties was not available, although
sources said none of them appeared to be seriously injured other than Mrs. Harris.
Sheriff Allen Parsons said both vehicles which struck the U-Haul "pretty much followed the same collision path." There
have
been several wrecks in this same spot, he reported.
All the vehicles were severely damaged, some totaled.
Pastor Harris recently resigned from the New Testament Baptist Church at Big Springs, and was on his way to Canada to
be near Mrs. Harris' ill parents. Church members have asked for Virginia Harris to be placed on area church prayer
lists.
The injured were taken to Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center by Calhoun EMS and
Minnie Hamilton's ambulance service. Calhoun Sheriff Allen Parsons and Deputies Carl Ballengee and Charlie Richards
were on the scene investigating. The Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department also responded.
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