Straw Truck Hits Motor Home; 6 Hurt

A truck carrying a load of straw collided with a motor home Thursday in a spectacular accident near Palmdale that injured six people, three critically, authorities said.

The accident occurred about 1:50 p.m. at the intersection of Avenue T, Fort Tejon Road and Pearblossom Highway in Fourpoints, said Capt. Mark Hanson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The three critically injured victims were thrown from the motor home onto the pavement through a hole torn in the front of the vehicle, said California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Plahn.

The motor home, heading west on Avenue T, ran a red light and was in the intersection when struck by the truck, which was northbound on Pearblossom, Plahn said.

The accident scene southeast of Palmdale was littered with straw bales that were thrown from the truck, virtually burying a car on Fort Tejon Road, witnesses said.

“It was a mess,” Plahn said.

The motor home’s five occupants were visiting California from Putnam, Okla., and were en route to see relatives in Yucaipa in San Bernardino County, Plahn said.

Passenger Wanda Leak, 68, was in critical condition at Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center, said Frankie Richards, hospital spokeswoman. Also in critical condition at Palmdale Hospital Medical Center were the motor home driver, Edward Leak, 70, and passenger Gladys Cline, 74, Plahn said.

Pearl Davis, 72, Wanda Leak’s sister, and Robert Cline, 79, were treated for minor injuries, Richards said.

The truck’s driver, Don Lile, 46, of Lancaster, was treated at the Palmdale hospital for back pain, Plahn said.

After striking the motor home, the truck swerved and spilled the straw bales, knocked down a light post and a traffic signal and headed into a gas station, stopping just short of the gasoline pumps, Hanson said.

“I lost control, went through the center divider and took out a couple of traffic lights,” said Lile, who was returning to Lancaster after picking up the straw in the Imperial Valley. “Everything worked out just right. It just kind of spun the truck around.”

The driver of the car covered by the straw, George Karnazes, 48, of Pearblossom, was not injured, authorities said.

A second car sustained minor damage when it drove over several bales of straw, and a car that was parked at the gas station was struck by debris from the light post hit by the truck, Plahn said.