‘Move Over Law’ Reminder
Lander crash totals a Highway Patrol Car and sends 1 to hospital
October 6, 2005
An accident near Lander yesterday, that totaled a Wyoming Highway Patrol car stopped at a crash scene and sent a Good Samaritan to the hospital, is a case to point out the "Move Over Law" for anyone driving Wyoming roads. Many people are still not aware of this law. As we move into winter and icy road driving conditions, this is an especially important safety measure when coming upon law enforcement and emergency vehicles at incident scenes along Wyoming roads.
A woman was transported to Lander Regional Medical Center in Lander after her vehicle and a Wyoming Highway Patrol vehicle were struck while they were parked at a previous crash scene. The roadways in the Lander area, especially the bridge decks, were icy at the time.
The crash occurred just before 7:00 a.m. Wednesday on WYO 789 about 21 miles northeast of Lander. Janell Anthon, age 53, from Riverton, was southbound on WYO 789 and was approaching a previous crash scene when she lost control of her 2003 Jeep Liberty on the icy highway. Her vehicle crossed the center line and struck a stopped northbound Ford Expedition that was occupied by Becky Parkins from Riverton. Parkins had stopped at the prior one vehicle crash to offer assistance to a person that was injured in that crash. After colliding with the Parkins vehicle, Anthon's vehicle then struck a northbound parked patrol car that was behind the Parkins vehicle. Both the Parkins vehicle and the patrol car were parked alongside the northbound lane out of the lane of travel.
The Trooper was out of his car investigating the previous crash and did have the overhead emergency lights activated on his marked patrol car. The Trooper was not in the patrol car at the time of this crash and was not injured. It is believed that the Trooper's Dodge Intrepid patrol car sustained substantial damage and is a total loss. Anthon refused medical treatment at the scene. Parkins was transported by ground ambulance to Lander Regional Medical Center where she was treated for her injuries and released. The crash involving the patrol vehicle was investigated by the Fremont County Sheriff's Department.
Wyoming’s "Move Over Law" went into effect in July of 2001. That law requires that drivers on two-lane highways must slow to 20 mph below the speed limit when passing a stopped emergency vehicle that has its lights flashing. When traveling 65 mph, slow to at least 45 mph. When on Interstate highways, the driver must move their vehicle over to the lane furthest from a stopped emergency vehicle that has its lights flashing before they pass.
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