April 3, 2008
Hiko Curve Serves Up Another Load of Fries

Photo by Dave Maxwell Truck crash takes out part of Doug Miller's fence in Hiko.

By Dave Maxwell, Staff Writer

On April 1st, around 7:30 pm, a second truck carrying frozen french fries crashed in Hiko. This time the truck crashed right in front of Doug Miller’s house on SR 318 and took out part of the fence alongside of the house. Deputy Derrick Foremaster said it was the fifth truck trash in Lincoln County in the past two or three weeks.

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Guy Davis said the truck was hauling 41,000 pounds of frozen french fries. A Carl’s Jr. truck carrying french fries, wrecked March 21 only about a half mile further north on the curve near Murray Whipple’s home.

The truck from Motor West, driven by Alexander Joseph of Maui, Hawaii, was going from Othello, Washington to Tempe, Arizona. Joseph, who was uninjured, said it was his first time traveling on 318 and said he came to the “Whipple curve” S turn “just as it had gotten dark.” He said, “The left hand curve ends on the crest of a hill, and as I got to the top of the hill I couldn’t see where the turn finished and it got into the right turn a little too fast and I didn’t expect it to be as sharp as it was…when I came out of the turn, the truck held the road, but the trailer had already started to roll and the trailer pulled the tractor over.” The rig came to a sliding stop alongside the fence of the Miller residence. Owner Doug Miller said it sounded like a loud pop, “like a big truck tire going pop.” He said he didn’t think much of it, “Until one of the kids came in the house and said a truck had wrecked right outside.” There were no injuries to the Miller family.