GENTRY — Those attempting to use Third Street or Pioneer Lane in Gentry on Thursday were detoured while crews caught chickens, loaded them back into cages and towed away a Georges Inc. Chicken truck which overturned on Arkansas Highway 12 (where it becomes Third Street) at the intersection of Pioneer Lane.
The roads were closed following the accident which occurred around 8:30 a.m. and remained closed until all was cleaned up in mid afternoon.
An eastbound George's Inc. truck loaded with caged chickens went over the curb on the sharp curve at Pioneer Lane and overturned. Cages were spilled and a good number of chickens were on the loose.
The driver of the truck, Camron C. Mayfied, 45, of Siloam Springs, was taken to Siloam Spring Regional Hospital, where he was treated for a cut on his head and released, according to Gentry Police. No one else was in the truck at the time of the wreck.
A host of workers from Georges Inc. arrived on the scene a short time later to catch chickens and reload them into cages and load the cages onto a second truck. Two large wreckers were used to stabilize the overturned truck and trailer and then to right it and tow it away.
Mayfield was cited by police, under state statute, for careless and prohibited driving, according to police. Among other things, the statute prohibits operating "any vehicle in such a manner which would cause a failure to maintain control."