Pulaski Highway Flagman Dies On Job While Directing Truck
A flagman on a road building project was killed by the wheels of the truck he was directing yesterday afternoon. Robert B. Akers, 38, State Highway Department employee for the past three years, died enroute to a Pulaski hospital. He had lived at Pulaski, Route 3. Pulaski Sheriff R. Summers said, the accident occurred on State Rt. 637, near Dublin at 1:45 p.m. A crew of 10 to 12 men had been engaged in open up a ditch along the side of the road. Following behind the heavy equipment used to open the ditch was the regulation dump type truck driven by R.C. Stratton which collected the soil and debris from the opened ditch. Akers job was to direct highway traffic around the project and to direct the loaded trucks. Summers said the truck had just been loaded when Akers signaled for the driver to back. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground and the driver unable to see him, passed over Akers left side, breaking his arm and causing internal injuries. Dr. C.G. Fox, Pulaski County Medical Examiner, said an autopsy performed in Roanoke made it certain that death was due to the accident and not to a sudden heart attack or stroke. Summers said co-workers did not see Akers when he fell and whether he tripped over an object in the road is unknown. The accident took place on a hard surface portion of the highway. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary LaRue Akers, two sons, Earl E. Akers and Robert R. Akers, Jr, both Pulaski; two daughters, Edith June Akers and Wanda Diane Akers, both of Pulaski; his mother, Mrs. Audie Akers, Radford; two brothers, Coy Akers and Charles Akers, both of Pulaski; four sisters, Mrs. Sadie Turpin and Miss Louise Akers, both of Radford; Mrs. Callie Roseberry, Dublin and Mrs. Reba Bratton, Pulaski. The body was taken to the Strickler Funeral Home, Pulaski. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
RADFORD NEWS JOURNAL, Wed, Aug 31, 1955
A flagman on a road building project was killed by the wheels of the truck he was directing yesterday afternoon. Robert B. Akers, 38, State Highway Department employee for the past three years, died enroute to a Pulaski hospital. He had lived at Pulaski, Route 3. Pulaski Sheriff R. Summers said, the accident occurred on State Rt. 637, near Dublin at 1:45 p.m. A crew of 10 to 12 men had been engaged in open up a ditch along the side of the road. Following behind the heavy equipment used to open the ditch was the regulation dump type truck driven by R.C. Stratton which collected the soil and debris from the opened ditch. Akers job was to direct highway traffic around the project and to direct the loaded trucks. Summers said the truck had just been loaded when Akers signaled for the driver to back. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground and the driver unable to see him, passed over Akers left side, breaking his arm and causing internal injuries. Dr. C.G. Fox, Pulaski County Medical Examiner, said an autopsy performed in Roanoke made it certain that death was due to the accident and not to a sudden heart attack or stroke. Summers said co-workers did not see Akers when he fell and whether he tripped over an object in the road is unknown. The accident took place on a hard surface portion of the highway. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary LaRue Akers, two sons, Earl E. Akers and Robert R. Akers, Jr, both Pulaski; two daughters, Edith June Akers and Wanda Diane Akers, both of Pulaski; his mother, Mrs. Audie Akers, Radford; two brothers, Coy Akers and Charles Akers, both of Pulaski; four sisters, Mrs. Sadie Turpin and Miss Louise Akers, both of Radford; Mrs. Callie Roseberry, Dublin and Mrs. Reba Bratton, Pulaski. The body was taken to the Strickler Funeral Home, Pulaski. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
RADFORD NEWS JOURNAL, Wed, Aug 31, 1955
Pulaski Highway Flagman Dies On Job While Directing Truck
A flagman on a road building project was killed by the wheels of the truck he was directing yesterday afternoon. Robert B. Akers, 38, State Highway Department employee for the past three years, died enroute to a Pulaski hospital. He had lived at Pulaski, Route 3. Pulaski Sheriff R. Summers said, the accident occurred on State Rt. 637, near Dublin at 1:45 p.m. A crew of 10 to 12 men had been engaged in open up a ditch along the side of the road. Following behind the heavy equipment used to open the ditch was the regulation dump type truck driven by R.C. Stratton which collected the soil and debris from the opened ditch. Akers job was to direct highway traffic around the project and to direct the loaded trucks. Summers said the truck had just been loaded when Akers signaled for the driver to back. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground and the driver unable to see him, passed over Akers left side, breaking his arm and causing internal injuries. Dr. C.G. Fox, Pulaski County Medical Examiner, said an autopsy performed in Roanoke made it certain that death was due to the accident and not to a sudden heart attack or stroke. Summers said co-workers did not see Akers when he fell and whether he tripped over an object in the road is unknown. The accident took place on a hard surface portion of the highway. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary LaRue Akers, two sons, Earl E. Akers and Robert R. Akers, Jr, both Pulaski; two daughters, Edith June Akers and Wanda Diane Akers, both of Pulaski; his mother, Mrs. Audie Akers, Radford; two brothers, Coy Akers and Charles Akers, both of Pulaski; four sisters, Mrs. Sadie Turpin and Miss Louise Akers, both of Radford; Mrs. Callie Roseberry, Dublin and Mrs. Reba Bratton, Pulaski. The body was taken to the Strickler Funeral Home, Pulaski. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
RADFORD NEWS JOURNAL, Wed, Aug 31, 1955
A flagman on a road building project was killed by the wheels of the truck he was directing yesterday afternoon. Robert B. Akers, 38, State Highway Department employee for the past three years, died enroute to a Pulaski hospital. He had lived at Pulaski, Route 3. Pulaski Sheriff R. Summers said, the accident occurred on State Rt. 637, near Dublin at 1:45 p.m. A crew of 10 to 12 men had been engaged in open up a ditch along the side of the road. Following behind the heavy equipment used to open the ditch was the regulation dump type truck driven by R.C. Stratton which collected the soil and debris from the opened ditch. Akers job was to direct highway traffic around the project and to direct the loaded trucks. Summers said the truck had just been loaded when Akers signaled for the driver to back. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground and the driver unable to see him, passed over Akers left side, breaking his arm and causing internal injuries. Dr. C.G. Fox, Pulaski County Medical Examiner, said an autopsy performed in Roanoke made it certain that death was due to the accident and not to a sudden heart attack or stroke. Summers said co-workers did not see Akers when he fell and whether he tripped over an object in the road is unknown. The accident took place on a hard surface portion of the highway. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary LaRue Akers, two sons, Earl E. Akers and Robert R. Akers, Jr, both Pulaski; two daughters, Edith June Akers and Wanda Diane Akers, both of Pulaski; his mother, Mrs. Audie Akers, Radford; two brothers, Coy Akers and Charles Akers, both of Pulaski; four sisters, Mrs. Sadie Turpin and Miss Louise Akers, both of Radford; Mrs. Callie Roseberry, Dublin and Mrs. Reba Bratton, Pulaski. The body was taken to the Strickler Funeral Home, Pulaski. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
RADFORD NEWS JOURNAL, Wed, Aug 31, 1955
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