DEACON – Local businessman, John Culp died on Highway 60 last Friday morning when the loaded B-train lumber truck he was driving veered into the left-hand ditch and was stopped by a birch tree copse.
Highway 60 was closed between Round Lake Road and Chapel Road to allow first responders access from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The police were on the scene first and attempted to access the driver from the passenger side. They were hampered by the birch trees on driver’s side and the shifted lumber on the passenger side.
John Culp was able to talk to the rescuers at that time.
North Algona Wilberforce (NAW) Fire Chief Rick Marshall said that he was the first firefighter at the scene.
Marshall said he saw the cab was badly pinned and the driver’s side compacted.
“I knew we were going to need a chainsaw to cut some of the wood out of the way. I got the chainsaw, put on safety pants and helmet,” Marshall said.
Get your December 7, 2016 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.