Published: August 28, 2009 09:45 am      

Mowed Over

Mower operator knocked from machine on I-75

By Carl Keith Greene/Staff Writer

Josh Craig, 25, was treated and released at Baptist Regional Medical Center Thursday after he was knocked from the mowing machine he was using to cut growth alongside I-75.

According to Vehicle Enforcement Officer Charles Garland, at about 9 a.m. Craig had finished mowing the shoulder of the northbound lane of the interstate highway south of the bridge across the Laurel River, which marks the line between Laurel and Whitley counties.

Garland said Craig told him he had come to the bridge and began to cross the bridge, staying as close to the outer edge as possible.

Nearly all the way across the bridge, he spotted a tractor-trailer rig coming down the hill behind him, the officer said.

Craig said he saw the truck strike his mowing machine, Garland said.

He quoted Craig as saying he hit the pavement between the two lanes, “inches from the truck tires as it passed.”

Craig told him, Garland said, when the truck passed he got to his feet, crossed the left hand lane toward the median and took cover on the other side of the guard rail on the Laurel County side of the bridge.

Garland said the mower attachment, which was raised in the air as the bridge was crossed, crashed into the passenger side of the truck’s cab, damaging that side of the truck.

The tractor-trailer rig is owned by Ready Trucking of Ellenwood Ga., and was driven by Forest McLaughlin, 45.

Garland said an investigation of the incident continues.

Craig is employed by Swarte Mowing Company in Olympia, Ky. Craig is from nearby Salt Lick.