Posted 7-18-08

Wyoming Fatal #68

From the Wyoming Highway Patrol

One man died and his wife was injured when their RV lost its brakes and crashed into the Rimrock Pipeline office Thursday afternoon in Buffalo. No one in the building was injured. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bulletin.

LOCATION OF THE CRASH

Milepost #: 92.1 (In Buffalo at the US 16/Main Street Intersection)
Time of Crash: 4:44 p.m.
Highway: US 16
Date of Crash: 7/17/08

NUMBER OF VEHICLES INVOLVED: 2

NUMBER OF PERSONS INVOLVED: 4

DRIVERS/PASSENGERS
**********FATALITIES********
NAME: James D. Stark
AGE: 73 SEX: M
CITY & STATE: Hot Springs, AR
SUBJECT WAS DRIVER OF: Vehicle #1
YEAR: 1997
MAKE: Chevrolet
MODEL: motorhome
DATE/TIME OF DEATH: 7/17/08 at the scene
SEAT BELT USE: Yes

*******INJURED/NON-INJURED*******
NAME: Saralee G. Stark AGE: 68 SEX: F
CITY & STATE: Hot Springs, AR
INJURIES: Hospitalized at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, WY.
SUBJECT WAS PASSENGER IN: Vehicle #1
SEAT BELT USE: Yes

Crews extricate the RV from the building. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bulletin.

NAME: Roger A. Sellen AGE: 68 SEX: M
CITY & STATE: Buffalo, WY
INJURIES: None
SUBJECT WAS DRIVER OF: Vehicle #2
YEAR: 1995
MAKE: Ford
MODEL: F-350 pickup
SEAT BELT USE: Yes

NAME: Delores Sellen AGE: 66 SEX: F
CITY & STATE: Buffalo, WY
INJURIES: None
SUBJECT WAS PASSENGER IN: Vehicle #2
SEAT BELT USE: Yes

The Starks were eastbound on US 16 in an approximately 35-foot motorhome that was pulling a Jeep utility vehicle behind it.

While coming down Powder River Pass, which has a down grade of approximately 7%, the Starks noticed that their brakes on the motorhome were getting hot. James pulled the combination over and stopped to let the brakes cool down. Powder River Pass does have a runaway truck ramp, however, it is unknown if the Starks pulled over prior to or after the runaway ramp.

A police officer documents the damage to the building. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bulletin.

After waiting an unknown amount of time James pulled back onto the roadway and continued eastbound. It was at that time that they noticed they had no braking ability on the motorhome. The motorhome continued gaining speed and according to witnesses James was swerving in and out of traffic as he was passing to avoid a collision with other traffic.

As the Starks neared the city limits of Buffalo the roadway opens up to two eastbound and two westbound lanes of travel. There were two eastbound vehicles in each of the two lanes of travel ahead of the Starks.

James swerved to the left of the Sellen vehicle, which was in the inside eastbound lane. The right front of the motorhome clipped the left rear of the Sellen vehicle as the Starks passed it by going into the westbound lane. The runaway combination continued eastbound on US 16 reaching the ‘T’ intersection with Main Street in downtown Buffalo.

Troopers estimate the speed at approximately 50 mph as the motorhome crashed into a building on the east side of the intersection. The motorhome came to rest inside the building.

Saralee Stark was transported to Johnson County Memorial Hospital in Buffalo and has since been transferred to Wyoming Medical Center in Casper. James Stark died at the scene.

Our thanks to the Buffalo Bulletin for sharing these pictures with us.