No injuries in early morning Turnpike crash

Samantha Perry, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
Updated ·1 min read

Jun. 1—CAMP CREEK — No one was injured in a single-vehicle accident Wednesday morning on the West Virginia Turnpike that occurred when the driver crashed through the guardrail and went over an embankment.

The accident occurred at 3:30 a.m. at mile marker 21 at Camp Creek, Cpl. M.S. Horton, with the West Virginia State Police Turnpike detachment, said.

The DCM transport truck was being driven by owner/operator Clifford Merilus, 29, of Clarkston, Ga. Horton said Merilus escaped without injuries.

"He traveled through the guardrail, overturned and slid to the bottom," Horton said.

Merilus was traveling in the southbound lane.

Horton said the driver was transported to Raleigh General Hospital for precautionary purposes.

The truck was hauling Monster Energy Drinks.

In earlier years, the stretch of turnpike between mile markers 20 and 25 was the site of numerous fatal vehicle accidents.

Safety improvements made to the section of roadway significantly reduced the number of crashes.

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com.