The trucking company responsible for metal spilled along the Audubon Parkway between Owensboro and Henderson on Thursday has been identified and is stepping up to help motorists who have tire damage.
The owner of the truck says if his truck created a problem he’ll do what he can to make it right.
Jack Legrand with Legrand Trucking Company of Madison, Indiana, is working with the Kentucky State Police Division of Vehicle Enforcement and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to clean up the aluminum shards. The company has established a phone number for motorists who have tire damage to report.
According to the Kentucky State Police Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, the truck was hauling loose scrap “aluminum chops” when a rear door of the container popped open while it traveled along the Audubon Parkway around 11:00 a.m., Thursday.
“Once our agency became aware of the lost cargo, all of our troopers and commercial vehicle enforcement officers worked to locate the company responsible. Troopers and CVE Officers collected debris samples and went to area recycling facilities,” said Kentucky State Police Post 16 Public Affairs Trooper Corey King. “Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers started investigating inventory at these facilities and were able to make a match on the product. The investigation suggested the product called ‘EC Straws-Chops’ were picked up at Versatile Processing in Nabb, IN, and delivered to Hydro Aluminum in Henderson, KY.”
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers said the trucking company has been very cooperative in the investigation and estimates a loss of around 1,500 pounds of the metal. Much of it is believed to have scattered along the westbound lanes of the Audubon Parkway, a majority of it between the US 60 interchange and the Hebbardsville Exit at KY 416, although some was found along the westbound ramps from the Audubon to the Pennyrile Parkway.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2 Spokesman Keith Todd said his agency had received about 60 phone calls and several emails from individuals seeking to report tire damage. Through the day Legrand Trucking established a system to process calls and by about 2:00 p.m., today, had received 14 claims for damage to 40 tires.
Todd noted that one of the sweeper trucks highway maintenance personnel from Daviess County and Henderson County used to push the metal shards off the parkway driving surface had 5 flat tires and was in the shop for repairs. Two of the brushes used for the sweeping effort were worn down to the nub and had to be replaced.
“Our crews succeeded in pushing most of the metal off the roadway,” Todd said. “However, by pushing it off the driving surface it is now scattered along the shoulder area. We are asking the trucking company to come in with an industrial-strength vacuum truck to remove the metal from the shoulder area to help assure it doesn’t get tracked back onto the roadway. They are trying to work that out with their insurance carrier now.”
Todd suggests that anyone who drove along the Audubon Parkway after about 11:00 a.m., on Thursday should check their tires for signs of the metal that has the appearance of aluminum nails ranging from about 1 to 2 inches long.
“If the shards become wedged into the tread of your tires they can eventually cause a puncture and lead to a flat,” Todd said. “It is worth taking the time to remove them before they cause a major problem.”
Motorists with tire damage from the metal spill are advised to document the damage with photos and repair receipts, then call 812-866-1380. According to Legrand Trucking, the number will generally be answered during the day. If you call and get voice mail please leave a message with detailed contact information and a representative will get back to you to assist with processing a damage claim.
