Victims Recovering from North Carolina Tractor-Trailer Accident Involving Tour Bus
The 12 people that were injured in a July 1 North Carolina truck-bus accident on Interstate 85 close to the Gaston/Mecklenburg County line are recovering from their injuries. The North Carolina bus accident happened when the bus rear-ended a tractor-trailer that was stopped behind another truck, causing a rear-end collision between the two trucks.
Among those who were injured were members of the gospel group The Bowling Family, including Mike and Kelly Bowling and their three children. According to a spokesperson that issued a news release, Mike, who was ejected from the bus during the collision, sustained multiple facial injuries and a fractures skull. He is expected to undergo additional surgeries to treat his North Carolina bus accident injuries. Kelly Bowling broke a foot and her vertebrae and will likely have to use a body brace for several months. She may also have to undergo surgery. Their six-year-old daughter Katelanne broke her collarbone. She had to have plastic surgery to repair a deep facial laceration.
Police have said that a the backlog of trucks attempting to get into a weigh station played a part in the Belmont truck accident. The truck backup reportedly extended from the weigh station, across the river bridge, and into the city limits and that this caused the tour bus driver to suddenly run into the line of trucks without any previous warning.
The weigh station, which was built in 1979, may now be too small to handle the large volume of trucks that need to be checked. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, which runs the weigh station, there is a $300,000 camera system that is supposed to warn people in the station when the trucks are backed-up all the way to the highway. However, this is reportedly not an uncommon occurrence. Belmont Police Chief David James says that other North Carolina truck accidents have happened for this same reason. The Highway patrol is looking at possible sites to set up a new weigh station where longer ramps could be set up.
Backup at weigh station played a role in I-85 crash, WCNC, July 2, 2010
Update: I-85 Crash Injures 10+, Gospel Singer In Fair Condition, 2WSPA.com, July 1, 2010
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The Bowling Family
