Just past noon on Friday, November 24th, Prescott Regional Communications Center received a 911 call for a single vehicle accident in the 2800 block of Sundog Ranch Road… the Prescott transfer station. Initial reports stated that a truck had rolled into a pit with a single occupant trapped inside. When the initial fire department engine arrived on scene they found a late 90s Ford Ranger pickup truck that had inadvertently driven into, and became stuck over, the transfer pit. The only occupant of the vehicle, a 95-year-old male, was unhurt in the accident but did not have a way to safely get out of the vehicle. A chain was wrapped around the rear axle of the truck and was connected to a front loading bulldozer for safety. Multiple 2 x 8 boards were placed over the pit and the gentleman was assisted safely out of the vehicle. Once there were no other life safety concerns, the front loading dozer was used to pull the vehicle out from the pit.
While no one was hurt in this accident, it could’ve been a lot worse as there was about a 15 foot drop into the pit that the truck did not end up falling in to. Accidents can happen at any place and at any time so it’s important to always wear your safety belt and maintain situational awareness for hazards that surround your vehicle.
