BUCKHANNON – The ‘Buckhannon’ city limits sign sustained significant damage, but no one was injured in a wreck at one of two notoriously dangerous Route 33 intersections where traffic signals have recently been activated.
A two-vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of Route 33 and Childers Run Road Wednesday makes at least the third wreck that has transpired since the West Virginia Division of Highways installed and activated stop lights at Route 33’s intersections with Childers Run Road and Kesling Mill Road. Both intersections have long been the scene of wrecks due to limited visibility, and law enforcement officers and other first responders have been urging residents to pay attention in those areas.
Wednesday’s wreck occurred at about 2:15 p.m., when James Blosser, 70, of Weston, was driving a white Ford F-150 pickup truck north on Childers Run Road, attempting to cross Route 33 after receiving the green light to proceed.
However, a black Chevrolet pickup truck being driven by Devan Hinchman, 28, of Buckhannon, was traveling west on Route 33 and failed to stop at the red light at the Childers Run intersection, striking Blosser’s Ford F-150 in the front side, according to the accident report filed by Sgt. Mark Stewart with the Buckhannon Police Department.
Witnesses on scene told police that Hinchman ran the red light before striking the other vehicle, and in the police report, Stewart noted that Hinchman failed to obey a traffic control device and failed to maintain control of vehicle but did not charge him with those violations. The ‘Buckhannon’ city limits sign was knocked over and another utility police sustained damage.
The black Chevrolet pickup had to be towed from the scene due to disabling damage.
Local law enforcement officers have received complaints about people running the red light since the traffic signals were installed April 11, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Buckhannon Police Department and Buckhannon Fire Department, have been working to make people aware of the change, according to a previous My Buckhannon article.
