The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

September 22, 2009

Police sort through conflicting accident information

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Sophia Police say they are now sorting through several conflicting statements in a wreck investigation reportedly involving a pickup truck equipped with emergency red lights and a siren.

However, the police report indicates that a passenger car — not the emergency responder vehicle — struck another pickup truck.

The accident on Robert C. Byrd Drive, near Lester Square, occurred around 2 p.m. Sept. 16. According to the incident’s police report, Corena P. Bradford, 76, of Sophia, was driving a 2002 Dodge Stratus northbound, and got into a turning lane to turn into Lester Square. Bradford then struck a 2009 Ford F-150 driven by Clayton L. Wolfe Jr., 57, of Beckley, in the side. The Ford pickup truck was pushed off the roadway and struck a guard rail.

Originally, Sophia Police reported that a white pickup truck came through the area with lights and sirens activated, based on witness statements. The witnesses said the white pickup ran the Ford off the road and fled the scene and that the Ford struck the Stratus before striking the guard rail.

Police said two fire departments were called to a vehicle fire in Coal City shortly before the accident, but whether these reports were connected is uncertain.

Wolfe was able to speak before he was taken to Raleigh General Hospital, police said. Bradford was not hurt.

Sophia Police Chief Tim Sweeney said police have received several conflicting statements. No one knew if the responder truck was a marked fire department vehicle or someone’s private vehicle equipped with lights and sirens. The description was only “a truck with lights”. Some have said that truck was silver, not white. Others have said the vehicle was a SUV, not a pickup.

Sweeney also noted police have checked with local fire chiefs, but their firefighters have numerous white or silver pickup trucks — and SUVs — that could fit the numerous descriptions.

“We don’t want to give any of the fire departments a black eye because we have all of these conflicting stories,” he said.

Anyone with information about this accident is encouraged to call the Sophia Police Department at 304-683-3331 or Crime Stoppers at 304-255-7867.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

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