Teen driver strikes utility pole

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September 24, 2009

Frank Denzler The Rushville Republican Thu Sep 24, 2009, 11:08 AM EDT

A report of a stolen or missing vehicle was received at the Rushville Police Department shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Patrolman Randy Meek began an investigation into the report and started looking for the vehicle.

Nearly 20 minutes later the vehicle was reported to have been in an accident nearly 11 miles away, east of Mays.

The 911 call reporting the accident resulted in fire and medical personnel from Raleigh and multiple units from the Rush County Sheriff’s Department being dispatched to the 2000 block of east CR 900N.

Responders found a 1999 Ford Taurus had struck and severed a Duke Energy pole and had come to rest on top of the severed pole.

According to RCSD deputy Randy Chandler, the teenage driver, identified as Stephanie A. Schott-Nicholls, 17, of Rushville, was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

According to Meek, following an argument with her mother, the teenager took her mother’s vehicle, resulting in the missing vehicle report.

As the investigation unfolded it was learned that the accident may not have simply been an accident after all.

According to the accident report, the driver said that she was traveling eastbound on CR 900N at a high rate of speed and arguing with her mother.

She reportedly told the deputy that after leaving the county road she entered a side ditch and ultimately struck the pole.

After leaving the road the Ford traveled nearly 200 feet before striking the energy company’s pole. The force of the impact severed the pole nearly four feet above ground level with the car coming to rest on top of the severed portion of the pole.

CR 900N was closed east of CR 200E and west of CR 300E for nearly two hours as responders were concerned that the tension placed on the charged energy lines as a result of the broken pole could cause lines to fall on and across the county road.

“I am still gathering all of the facts in the case. At this time, I am unsure if this is an accident or an incident,” deputy Chandler said at the scene.

The deputy continued by explaining that an accident is something that simply happens unexpectedly while an incident is a deliberate act on someone’s part.

The teenager suffered what were described as non-life threatening injuries. Following treatment at the scene was transported to Rush Memorial Hospital by medical personnel from Raleigh. The full extent of her injuries was unknown at press time.

Responding to the scene were units from the RCSD, Raleigh medical and fire personnel, Duke Energy and Davis Towing.

Frank Denzler can be contacted at (765) 932-2222 ext. 106 or via e-mail at frank.denzler@rushvillerepublican.com. To add a comment to this story visit our Web site at www.rushvillerepublican.com.

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