Two Local Men Injured in Freak Truck Accident

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Two Local Men Injured in Freak Truck Accident


Two local men were seriously injured when their pick-up truck left the
road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway8 early Monday
morning. Woodruff County deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident
shortly after midnight Monday. 

Thurston Poole,3, of Des Arc and Billy Ray Wallis,8, of Little Rock
are listed in serious condition at Baptist Medical Center.

The accident occurred as the two men were returning to Des Arc after a
frog gigging trip. On an overcast Sunday night, Poole's pick-up truck
headlights malfunctioned. The two men concluded that the headlight fuse
on the older model truck had burned out. As a replacement fuse was not
available, Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullet from his pistol
fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering wheel column. Upon
inserting the bullet, the headlights again began to operate properly and
the two men proceeded on east-bound toward the White River bridge. 

After traveling approximately twenty miles and just before crossing the
river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged and struck Poole in
the right testicle. The vehicle swerved sharply to the right exiting the
pavement and striking a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and
abrasions from the accident, but will require surgury to repair the
other wound. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and
released. 

"Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston shot his nuts off or
we might both be dead" stated Wallis. "I've been a trooper for ten years
in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can't believe
that those two would admit how this accident happened", said Snyder. 

Upon being notified of the wreck, Lavinia, Poole's wife asked how many
frogs the boys had caught and did anyone get them from the truck.


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