I only found one of the four 500# steel/aluminum turnbuckles that secured the camper to the truck. They're the type with a hook at one end & a loop/eye at other end. None of the attachment points on either the truck or camper were damaged so apparently the twisting/jostling during the collision & afterward was enough to 'spring' them loose & release the camper. Otherwise I'm sure the truck would have turned over.
The collision with his vehicle almost completely destroyed my left front wheel, nearly separating the wheel/hub from the twin I-Beam axle, & the right side nearly so when the truck tried to climb the embankment & hit the tree with that side. I ended up nearly upright but at a steep angle (all the contents in the cab with me were piled up against me as I was on the 'low' side. The impacts had pushed both front quarter panels back into the doors & I was unable to open either door. I'd rolled my window down as soon as it was over so I just climbed out that window (wasn't far to the ground at that angle).
My brother of course hurried to see if I was injured, & after learning I probably wasn't he began directing traffic around the other vehicle which was still in the middle of the highway. A passing driver summoned police who responded very quickly. They called out the Arkansas State Police to investigate & write the accident report since the location wasn't in city limits. A couple of good witnesses saw the entire thing, stayed around to give statements to the Trooper, & it was obvious from the other driver's vehicle location what had happened.
After I climbed out of my truck & determined that I probably wasn't seriously injured I took out my cell phone & began taking pix (as a retired law enforcement officer I'm aware that you can never have too many pictures of an accident scene).
Police called a local wrecker service who sent 2 'tilt bed' trucks. They loaded the other vehicle onto one & dragged my camper (still upside down & leaking [pouring?] water copiously from the fresh water tank) onto the other wrecker. The wrecker driver dragged my truck out enough so he could extend his 'lift' & raise the front end of my truck & secure it to his rig. He gave me info on the location of their 'impound yard', & the Trooper gave me info on the other driver & said I was free to go.
Brother & I came on home & I immediately called my insurance agent who transferred me to the State Farm Claims office. After a 20 minuter phone interview she assigned a Claims # & adjuster to assist me with my claims against the other driver's insurance. Also talked to my youngest brother who is an attorney as well as being a claims adjuster for State Farm (homeowner division) who gave me some good advice/tips on record keeping & negotiating with the other insurance company. He also told me to go to the wrecker impound lot ASAP & recover all personal items/belongings I could from my truck & camper.
Brother & I went to the wrecking yard on Monday & picked up all my personal items that were in the truck. Camper was still upside down but I managed to unlock the door. What a mess! Everything was kinda jumbled together & some contents were wet from the leaking fresh water tank. We managed to get everything out & loaded & into my Toyota P/U.
Visited the accident site & located two more of the turnbuckles. From the locations found. they were the right front & the right rear (right rear had the 'hook' straightened).
I've been contacted by the other driver's insurance company who requested permission to move my truck & camper from Arkadelphia to Insurance Auto Auctions salvage yard (a secure location) in Little Rock/North Little Rock area. They've now been moved & as soon as they're officially 'received' at the lot they'll assign an appraiser to begin evaluation for a settlement. I told 'em to be sure the appraiser notes that this ain't just any 'run-of-the-mill' '85 Ford P/U. I've owned this truck since new, serviced it regularly myself, drove it virtually every mile on the odometer (166k miles), added a few 'goodies' to increase performance & comfort, & generally kept it in excellent condition. It'll be very difficult if not impossible to replace a 1985 Ford F-250, 6.9L diesel with only 166k miles on the 'clock' so I expect I'll have a problem getting a 'reasonable' settlement from them??
I feel very fortunate that I was able to 'walk away' from that. I'm sure that if I'd been going a little slower, or if the other driver was turning a little faster, the collision would have been nearly head-on. I really hate to lose my old truck (it's been a darn good 29 year run) but am thankful no one was seriously injured in what could have been a 'killer'. The other driver said the sun was in his face & he never saw me coming...
Y'all be careful out there! Here's a few pix
My old rig at deer camp a couple of years ago - still looked just like this
. My little Toyota Tacoma with which I tow my TD just might last me from now on. We have a little Scamp 13 fiberglass trailer that I've been slowly 're-habbing' for a couple of years. Guess I'll hafta 'pick up the pace' & get it in shape for spring fishing coming up in March & April.
. Camper hadn't been off the old truck for a couple of years now since the 3-jack system ain't quite as sturdy & easy to work as the 4-jacks that I had on my previous cabover, & the old truck hadn't been used for anything else. I had several 'jobs' just waiting for the truck alone that I'll hafta figure out another way now.