Truck can't make corner

A large semi truck took the corner too closely March 21 and hit a traffic light fixture at Baker Avenue and Second Street in front of American Bank.

Whitefish Police dispatcher Bonnie Brown said she heard a "crunch" about 12:44 p.m. and looked out the window to see a semi-truck trailer with the name M.S. Carriers stop, back up a little and try again to get around the corner.

Retired police sergeant Rodney DeVall was in the office at the time and heard the attempt-to-locate call. He drove after the truck in his private car and used his cell phone to tell police that he had located it on U.S. Highway 93 west of town.

Detective Roger Bergstrom drove out to talk to the truck driver at U.S. 93 and Martin Camp Road. The driver was out of Texas and had three weeks on the job.

Meanwhile, highway crews responded right away to the scene of the accident and straightened out the smashed traffic light fixture. The accident had triggered the equipment to flash red on Baker Avenue and yellow on Second Street.

The damage was quickly repaired with a few parts replaced, and the truck driver was not cited.