Deep Gap Volunteer

Fire Department

assists with

Ashe County collision
By Melanie Davis
Melanie@mountaintimes.com

Students at Parkway Elementary School in Deep Gap heard the surprising sound of a helicopter landing near the school Monday afternoon.

The helicopter was one of the WINGS Air Rescue fleet, landing to pick up a patient from a vehicle collision that happened just over the Ashe County line.

The accident occurred at 12:30 p.m. on U.S. 221 at the intersection of Cranberry Springs Road.

Elrita McNeil, 48, an on-duty mail carrier, was traveling northbound on U.S. 221 in a 1993 Ford Festiva. McNeil had slowed to turn left onto Cranberry Springs Road.

Floyd Franklin Scott, 81, was traveling northbound on U.S. 221 behind the Festiva. Scott failed to reduce speed in his 1988 Dodge Ram truck and swerved in an attempt to avoid the car. McNeil was beginning to turn left, and the Ram truck struck the vehicle directly on the driver's side.

Scott and his passengers, Margie Scott, 77, and Lauren Absher, 19, all of West Jefferson, were wearing seatbelts and uninjured in the accident.

McNeil was seriously injured.

Investigating officer Trooper D. Parunak of the N.C. Highway Patrol said McNeil was not wearing a seatbelt. An exemption in the law exists for on-duty postal carriers.

McNeil was transported from the accident scene by Ashe County Medics to the landing zone for WINGS Air Rescue.

The landing near Parkway Elementary was coordinated by members of the Deep Gap Volunteer Fire Department, with the assistance of a truck from the Fleetwood Volunteer Fire Department. Members of the Fleetwood department also responded to the accident scene.

McNeil was transported to Johnson City Area Medical Center in Tennessee.

Parunak said McNeil remains in serious condition as of Tuesday afternoon.

Charges are pending in the accident.