The Commercial

Obion County, TN

November 7, 1974

"A Trimble alderman was killed almost instantly and his brother critically injured about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when their car was involved in an almost headon collision when a two-ton truck on the long, narrow bridge just south of Obion on U.S 51.

State Trooper Bobby Rankin identified the dead man as Thomas Sullivan 'Sully' Jenkins, 53, a Trimble alderman. Mr. Sullivan was pinned in the wreckage of the vehicle he was driving and death was attributed to massive chest injuries.

Critically injured in the grinding smashup was James C Jenkins, 62, also a resident of Trimble who was a passenger in his brother's car. He was taken to Obion County General Hospital for emergency treatment and later transferred to a Memphis hospital.

Trooper Rankin said James Jenkins suffered fractures of both legs, chest injuries, facial lacerations and other lesser injuries.

The accident blocked traffic on the highway for more than two hours and it was almost midnight before the wreckage was cleared.

A wrecker had to move the truck before it could get to the automobile and it took two hours before the automobile wreckage could be pulled apart sufficiently to free the body of Sullivan Jenkins.

Meanwhile, his brother, who was extracted from the wreckage with only minor difficulty, was rushed to the Union City hospital and then transferred to Memphis by Pre-Med Ambulance.

The auto was a 1969 Ford two door which was headed south, toward Trimble. The 1973 Chevrolet truck, loaded with automotive parts bound for Fulton, was driven by Norman O'Neal Jr., 33, of Memphis and was proceeding north, toward Obion.

The car was demolished and Trooper Rankin said the truck was also damaged beyond practical repair. The front wheels and axle of the truck were ripped off by the impact.

Mr. O'Neal, who suffered bruises and abrasions, was treated at the Obion County General Hospital and later released.

His helper, identified as Danny L. Jackson, 23, of Memphis, also was bruised and shaken and received emergency room treatment at the local hospital.

Trooper Rankin said a driver identified as Joe Insco of Route 3, Martin, was following the truck.

"I saw the car lights, then I lost them, then I saw them again and then they disappeared again,'' Mr. Insco said, indicating the car was moving out of its lane of traffic on the narrow bridge. "Then there was a cloud of dust as the truck and car hit," he continued.

Trooper Rankin said evidence at the scene indicated that the car was in the wrong lane of traffic when the incident occurred. No charges were filed.

The state trooper was assisted at the scene by Obion Police Chief Don Turner and Trimble Police Chief Buck Taylor. Also at the scene were equipment and members of the Obion Fire Department to wash down the crash scene, minimizing the chance of fire.

Services for Mr. Jenkins will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Johnson Funeral Home chapel in Newbern. The Rev. Alfred Stone and the Rev. Steve Moseley will officiate and burial will follow in Dyer County Memorial Gardens in Dyersburg.

Mr. Jenkins was born Dec. 12, 1920 in Gibson County, and had been an employee of McDavid Hardware Company in Trimble for 34 years.

He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Lyndal Galloway of Newbern; three sisters, Mrs. Wallace Whitley of Rutherford, Mrs. Lee Smith of Yorkville, and Mrs. James McCaleb of Trimble; four older brothers, Lloyd Jenkins, and Ray Jenkins, both of Trimble, Carl Jenkins of Kenton, and Walter Jenkins of Detroit, Mich., and two grandchildren."