BELLA VISTA -- Two truck drivers went to the hospital Monday following a seven-vehicle pileup near the intersection of Bella Vista Way and McNelly Road in Bella Vista, authorities said.
The accident occurred at 12:38 p.m.
Traffic was at a standstill for hours after 50,000 pounds of frozen chicken spilled onto the road, said Stephen Sims, Bella Vista fire chief.
Dale Pitts, 57, of Emporia, Kan., was driving a 2010 Peterbilt tractor-trailer that hit the back of a 2014 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Timothy Ryals, 52, of Philadelphia, Miss., according to an Arkansas State Police news release. Ryals' truck and five other vehicles had stopped for a red light, said Cpl. Raymond B. Triplett with State Police.
The impact of Pitts' truck caused a chain reaction of vehicles rear-ending each other, Triplett said.
Bentonville and Bella Vista ambulances took the truck drivers to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville for treatment of injuries that weren't considered life threatening, firefighters and police said Tuesday.
Pitts was cited for careless driving, Triplett said. Alcohol wasn't a factor in the accident, he said.
The liquid from the raw chicken was still a problem Tuesday for drivers, Sims said.
The chicken immediately began to thaw and caused the road to become slick. Sand has been spread, but the area will remain slick for a while, Sims cautioned.
Triplett said no hazardous material or flammable liquids such as gasoline spilled Monday. The site has been cleaned and shouldn't pose any health concerns because of the chicken, said Kerry Krell, Arkansas Department of Health spokeswoman.
A county environmental health specialist ensured the frozen chicken, which was to be used for pet food, was removed from the highway and roadsides, Krell said. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department oversaw disposal of the chicken.
According to an Arkansas State Police news release, other drivers whose vehicles were involved in the accident were Allison Glahn, 31, of Springdale; Christina Lee, 36, of Bella Vista; Carole Schneider, 67, of Bella Vista; Gary Staton, 46, of Neosho, Mo.; and William Bodine, 65, of Sedalia, Mo.
NW News on 10/01/2014