An aerial view of Franklin police and fire responding to an accident Monday at the corner of North Morton Street and Commerce Drive that left one man dead.
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A Greenwood man was killed in an automobile accident Monday evening in Franklin after his vehicle struck a tree and light post, before flipping on its side.
James Haynes, 56, was driving a silver SUV at the intersection of North Morton Street and Commerce Drive when the accident occurred. Multiple witnesses said that Haynes’ vehicle came through the intersection heading east on Commerce Drive and nearly struck one of the witnesses’ cars, around 6:25 p.m. Monday, according to the Franklin police report.
Witnesses say the SUV went off the road, hit a tree in front of BMO Harris Bank and snapped it in half at the trunk. The vehicle then struck a light pole with a concrete base and upended it onto the driver’s side of the vehicle, according to the police report. During the accident, a water pipe was also damaged, which resulted in a leak.
When officers arrived at the scene, they learned Haynes was trapped in the SUV. One of the witnesses had climbed into the vehicle through the hatch in the back to try to free him, but could not reach him, according to the police report.
The Franklin Fire Department arrived at the scene and went to work to extract Haynes. By the time they reached him, he had no pulse, and was declared dead at 6:57 p.m. Monday, the report says.
