Collision critically injures Fisher

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

A black pickup driven by Patsy May Fisher suffered significant damage during a head-on collision with a city garbage truck Wednesday morning. Fisher, 22, was in surgical intensive care at press time. (Duane Sherrill photo)

A young Rock Island woman was critically injured Wednesday morning when her pickup slammed head-on into a city garbage truck on Sparta Street.

The victim, Patsy May Fisher, 22, was listed in critical condition at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga at press time. She was airlifted to the facility by LifeForce helicopter.

The accident happened around 7 a.m. on a straight stretch of Sparta Street directly in front of Sparta Street Muffler. According to Highway Patrolman Gary Myers, Fisher was traveling westbound, toward downtown, in her Chevy S-10 when she apparently fell asleep. Witnesses told investigators Fisher had strayed across the centerline moments before, but had apparently awoke and corrected herself before again falling asleep, this time entering the oncoming lane.

Richard P. Rognon, 27, of Bone Cave, a McMinnville city employee who was driving a garbage truck in the eastbound lane, told lawmen he attempted to come to a stop when he saw the woman heading directly for him. The vehicles collided in Rognon’s lane, with the impact destroying the cab of the pickup Fisher was driving. She was extricated by paramedics. Rognon was uninjured.

It was during extrication investigators discovered Fisher was still wearing her pajamas. A subsequent interview with family members revealed Fisher had been out late playing cards the night before, leaving her without much sleep. Fisher was returning from dropping off a friend at work when the accident happened.