By Karen Martin
Staff reporter
kamartin@elkintribune.com


350 bundled Christmas trees came off the mountain in Laurel Springs and were loaded onto a transfer truck owned by Richard Wilson of Wilson's Midnight Express headed toward Miami, Fla., according to Chief Earl Mounce of the State Road Fire Department, but half-way down the Sparta mountain on U.S. 21, the truck carrying them turned over with the trailer sliding off the road and delivering the trees back to the mountain.

The driver's name was still unknown at press time, but State Road firemen reported that he, was conscious and sitting on the guard rail when they arrived.

"Wilkes Emergency Medical Services took the driver to the hospital," Chief Mounce said.

Traffic was blocked both North and South for approximately 45 minutes before fire officials, State Highway Patrol officers, and Wilkes County Sheriff's deputies were able to clear the scene to allow one lane of traffic to pass by the over-turned tractor trailer.

Moody's Towing Service arrived on the scene and secured the cab of the truck to remove it from the road. The trailer that was over the side of the mountain was unhooked from the tractor. There was no word as to whether the trailer would be removed Thursday night.

There was no further word on the name or condition of the driver at press time.