Fire chief: Wreck volume on highways 107 and 64 about equal
Ten wrecks in four weeks.
That’s what Randy Dillard, Cashiers Glenville Volunteer Fire Department chief tallied up on Monday, Aug. 18, in noting what seems to have been a spate of wrecks on Highway 107 from Cashiers to Sylva.
Dillard said the department, which operates from seven locations, responded to two wrecks on July 27 and two more as recently as Aug. 16. One wreck, last week, involved a mother and child. Dillard said the child was airlifted to a local hospital. He was told the child would be OK.
Jason Metcalf, first sergeant with the state Highway Patrol serving Haywood and Jackson counties, acknowledged on Monday that there are some wrecks occurring “at a steady pace,” noting there are some particular intersections more prone to be wreck sites.
“People not paying attention, rear-ending,” he said are what Highway Patrol has mostly seen. “(We’re) not seeing an uptick in wrecks” along the highway,” Metcalf said. “There are certain spots where more collisions (occur) than others.”
He also pointed to this time of year being vacation season as a possible reason for recent wrecks. He said there will be more troopers on the road Labor Day weekend. “Hopefully, our presence will deter people, reduce collisions,” Metcalf said.
Drivers might not come away with the same assessment, however. A Facebook site, Cashiers-Highlands Plateau Road Conditions, has a number of posts – some with photos – noting wrecks and traffic backups.
“Traffic stopped at Chrysler curve headed into Cashiers,” reads an 11:49 a.m. Aug. 15 post.
“Accident Rt 107 N, just north of Glenville Lake Club. One lane only,” reads another posted about 3 pm. Aug. 14.
“Traffic stopped in the curves out of town. 107N,” reads a post with a photo at 2:52 p.m. Aug. 13.
While not involved in the investigation and details of the wrecks his crews respond to, the fire chief did say the causes are “all kinds of things; a lot of drinking and driving.” Dillard also offered that while Highway 107 does have a high volume of wrecks, “Highway 64 is in close competition with 107 — pretty close, neck and neck.”
Looking back at the department’s call list, Dillard pointed out that the week of July 4 there were “pretty bad wrecks” with five calls on Highways 107 and 64.
The fire department does, of course, respond to more than wrecks on area highways and roads. Dillard said it has been a busy year, noting that the seven locations have amassed 662 calls for the year as of Aug. 18, adding “and it’s only August.”
- Richard Whiting
rwhiting@cninewspapers.com