September 15,2008

Semi struck low wires causing them to fall on 10 year old girl waiting for school bus.

At approx 0735 hrs the McCracken County Sheriff's Dept. and Mercy Regional Ambulance were dispatched to the area of 7933 Ogden landing Road for a report of a child struck by fallen power lines.

William Gerken, 52, of Vienna, South Dakota, was driving a semi tractor trailer Westbound on Ogden Landing Road between Mayfield Metropolis Road and Mitchell Road when the top left corner of the semi trailer caught a utility line causing the power, phone, and cable TV lines to break from several utility poles and fall to the ground.

Brittnay Kampf, 10, of West Paducah, was struck by the falling lines while she was standing in the driveway of 7933 Ogden Landing Road waiting for the school bus. Kampf was taken to Baptist ER, treated and released for minor injuries.

The lines were hanging lower than normal due to weather damage from the previous wind storm. There was also no electrical current in the power lines due to the storm damage. Comcast fiber optic cable lines and phone lines were also damaged during the incident. The roadway was completely blocked for approx. 5 1/2 hours for Utility crews to respond and dislodge the lines from the semi and clear the roadway.

Thanks
Deputy David Shepherd
McCracken Co. Sheriff's Department