Published: January 07, 2009 08:43 pm      

Man dies in 2-car accident

COALDALE — A McDowell County man was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon on U.S. Route 52 on Coaldale Mountain in Mercer County near the McDowell County line.

Robert L. Collins, 63, of Leckie was driving northbound in his 2001 gold Buick on Route 52 when he collided with a 1999 blue Chevy 1500 pickup truck that was traveling southbound on Route 52, according to Sgt. G.W. Woods, of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department. Woods assisted Deputy W.E. Rose, also of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the lead investigator at the scene of the accident.

“The accident happened in a three-lane section of Route 52,” Woods said. “The pickup truck was in the passing lane. It appears as though the Buick was left of center.” Woods said the accident remains under investigation.

The male driver and female passenger of the pickup truck were both transported to Bluefield Regional Medical Center. Woods did not release their names, but said both are adults and that both are from the Iaeger area.

Woods said that Trooper First Class C.K. Morton of the Welch Detachment of the West Virginia State Police assisted at the scene. Paramedics of the Bluefield Rescue Squad, as well as emergency responders from the Bramwell and Bluewell volunteer fire departments responded to the accident scene, Woods said. The Mercer County 911 Center received the call at 1:09 p.m.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com