By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP
Staff Writer
A county employee was injured and lifeflighted to Pensacola Wednesday after he was involved in a one-vehicle accident in a county dump truck.
Raymond Carmichael, 43, of Brewton, was traveling on U.S. Highway 31 north at approximately 7:30 a.m., when his truck left the road near the 79-mile marker. He was taken to D.W. McMillan Hospital and later to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. County officials said Carmichael was in stable condition as of Thursday afternoon. No further updates on his condition were available.
Carmichael was driving a 2000 GMC 14-yard dump truck. Sidney Boutwell, a county crew chief, said he suspects the vehicle is totalled. Insurance adjusters had yet to inspect the vehicle as of Friday.
According to Boutwell, witnesses of the accident said it appeared Carmichael may have been coughing or choking when the accident occurred.
Boutwell said the truck was likely traveling 50 to 55 miles per hour.
He described Carmichael as being "banged up and bruised up" as a result of the wreck.
Carmichael was traveling along Hwy. 31 en route to a county dirt pit just across the county line in Conecuh County, near Castleberry. He was going to obtain a load of dirt to bring back to Kirkland Road where the county is currently working on a road project.
Several vehicles stopped upon witnessing the accident, according to Boutwell. The Castleberry Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene and notified the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. State Trooper Matthew Kennedy, who is not available for comment until next week, is the investigating officer who wrote the accident report for the state.
County Administrator Tony Sanks said the temporary loss of the vehicle will not stop any work.
Sanks said the county has insurance on the truck.