Wreck near Big Muddy Church; vehicle hits gas line

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 6:58pm — John Embry

A driver apparently blacked out and lost control of his car Sunday afternoon, causing an accident at the end of Dunbar-Leetown Road.

According to Justin Deweese of the Butler County Sheriff’s Department, Mr. Elze Hoop, 83, of Dunbar Coal Road, was traveling toward Morgantown on KY 70/Rochester Road when he attempted to turn right onto Dunbar-Leetown Road. Hoop told Deputy Deweese that he remembers turning, then didn’t have any recollection of events until he came to after hitting a tree off the side of Dunbar-Leetown Road.

Deputy Deweese said that as well as he can determine that the following sequence of events happened after Mr. Hoop turned. Hoop lost control of his car, a 1994 Ford Taurus, and left the road on the left side of Dunbar-Leetown Road. He traveled through the Big Muddy Baptist Church parking lot, striking a gas line from a buried propane tank. He then traveled down the left side of the road, crossed the road, and went approximately 50 yards into the edge of the woods where he struck a tree.

Emergency Management Director Terry Hunt responded to the scene because of the gas leak. The tank was no longer used and almost empty, so it was allowed to vent for approximately an hour until no more gas was present.

Deweese said that Hoop refused medical treatment. He said Hoop told him he has been having heart problems and thinks that could have caused the blackout. Deweese said no other vehicles were involved and that neither drugs nor alcohol contributed to the accident.

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Story by Joe K. Morris, Beech Tree News.