By Lena Moriarty
Intern
A group of Wrightsville Beach firefighters earn commendations for their response to a Nov. 20 car wreck on the Trask Drawbridge that left three hospitalized after the car flipped over in a single-car accident.
Captain Sara Jordan, Captain Jeff Williams, Captain Robert Pugh, Lieutenant John Scull, firefighter Sam Proffitt, and volunteer firefighters Karli Smiraglia, Bryan Dankanich, Tom Long, Luke Parks and Dwayne Parnell all received commendations for their timely response following the wreck.
“Everyone that responded did a really great job,” said Fire Chief Glen Rogers regarding the team’s response. “It was a very unusual incident, a vehicle had rolled over several times on the drawbridge in the middle of traffic. They don’t see this too often.”
Kenneth Edgell, 53, of Rocky Point, told police he swerved to avoid a car turning onto the Trask Drawbridge from Airlie Road causing his car to hit the center median and flip over.
“There was one person still in the vehicle when we got there,” said Captain Robert Pugh. “The traffic was stopped and there was debris everywhere.”
The team acted very quickly and there was prompt and professional care, said Chief Rogers of the incident. All three passengers were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. During the wreck, a chihuahua fled the wrecked vehicle, with Wrightsville Beach police officers responding to several reports of the lost dog.
The chihuahua was returned to Edgell after being found the following day by police on Pelican Drive.
