A Ford van that had crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive plunged down a steep hillside and into the Clinch River after a tow cable snapped Wednesday night, April 13, 2016. Melton Lake Drive was closed for about an hour between Rivers Run and Rolling Links boulevards after the Oak Ridge Fire Department and Oak Ridge Police Department responded. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
A Ford van that had crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive plunged down a steep hillside and into the Clinch River after a tow cable snapped Wednesday night, authorities said.
The white van had crashed into rocks and trees at the crest of a hill on a curved section of Melton Lake Drive between Rivers Run and Rolling Links boulevards in east Oak Ridge. The van was in trees about 25 feet off the road when the tow truck arrived, authorities said.
The van was hung up on rocks and trees, and when the tow truck tried to pull it out, the wrecker’s cable snapped. The van rolled down the hill and into the river, where it sank. Authorities estimated it’s about 100 feet down the embankment. The slope is steep enough that you can’t see the bottom from the top.
The crash was reported at about 9:50 p.m. Wednesday. Melton Lake Drive was closed for about an hour as the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department investigated.
The driver of the van, who was not in the vehicle when it plunged into the river, was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment of reported injuries.
Debris that appeared to be from the crash remained scattered next to Melton Lake Greenway at the top of the embankment on Thursday. There was part of a blinker, a mirror, broken glass, and other debris. There were small broken trees at the top of the steep slope near the apparent site of the crash, and an oil slick was visible on the surface of the water below.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
A Ford van that had crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive plunged down a steep hillside and into the Clinch River after a tow cable snapped Wednesday night, April 13, 2016, authorities said. The area of the crash is pictured above on Thursday morning. The crash site appeared to be where the tracks pictured above end in the trees. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
A Ford van that had crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive plunged down a steep hillside and into the Clinch River after a tow cable snapped Wednesday night, April 13, 2016, authorities said. The area of the crash is pictured above on Thursday morning. The crash site appeared to be where the tracks pictured above end in the trees. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
A van that crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive on Wednesday night, April 13, 2016, rolled down this embankment, estimated at about 100 feet, after a tow cable snapped. The driver was not inside the van at the time. The slope is so steep that you can’t see the bottom from the top. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
A van that crashed alongside Melton Lake Drive on Wednesday night, April 13, 2016, rolled down this embankment, estimated at about 100 feet, after a tow cable snapped. The driver was not inside the van at the time. The slope is so steep that you can’t see the bottom from the top. There are small broken trees near the apparent crash site, and debris, apparently from the crash, to the left of the picture. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
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Mark Caldwell says
I sure wish people wouldn’t exceed the speed limit.
Tracy Stout-Powers says
I read the whole article and nothing was written about speed being a factor.
Tracy Stout-Powers
Steve Dittner says
Uh, are they gonna get the van out of the river? Or just leave it there?
johnhuotari says
Steve,
My understanding is that plans included getting the van out of the river.
I’m not an expert on removing vehicles from rivers, but it seems like it will be difficult to do there and may require a barge. But that’s only a guess on my part.
Other vehicles that I remember being removed from the Clinch River involved a tow truck on the shore and an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department dive team in the water, as far as I can recall. But in this case, there is no shoreline where a tow truck could be used. I didn’t realize how steep that hill is until I went out there. I don’t know what options a steep shoreline would leave other than a barge and some kind of crane. And I don’t know who would be responsible for that.
I’ll try to let you know if I learn anything else.
Thank you,
John
Steve Dittner says
Thanks for the reply John. I asked because of the very reason you listed. It’s too steep to pull it back out and who’s going to pay for that? I would assume that the Tow Truck insurance will have to cover it as they were in the process of hooking and moving when it went down the hill? Keep us in the loop!