The following article was taken from the Raleigh Democrat
Gazette, July 25, 1996:

TWO LOCAL MEN INJURED IN FREAK TRUCK ACCIDENT COTTON PATCH, NC.

Two local men were seriously injured when their pick-up truck
left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State
Highway 38 early Monday morning.  Woodruff County deputy Dovey
Snyder reported the accident shortly after midnight Monday.
Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of
Raleigh are listed in serious condition at Baptist Medical
Center.  The accident occurred as the two men were returning to
Des Arc after a frog gigging trip.  On an overcast Sunday
night, Poole's pick-up truck headlights malfunctioned.  The two
men concluded that the headlight fuse on the older model truck
had burned out.  As a replacement fuse was not available,
Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullet from his pistol fit
perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering wheel column.
Upon inserting the bullet, the headlights again began to
operate properly and the two men proceeded on east-bound toward
the White River bridge.  After traveling approximately twenty
miles and just before crossing the river, the bullet apparently
overheated, discharged and struck Poole in the right testicle.
The vehicle swerved sharply to the right exiting the pavement
and striking a tree.  Poole suffered only minor cuts and
abrasions from the accident, but will require surgery to repair
the other wound.  Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was
treated and released.
   

"Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston shot his
nuts off or we might both be dead" stated Wallis. "I've been a
trooper for ten years in this part of the world, but this is a
first for me. I can't believe that those two would admit how
this accident happened", said Snyder. Upon being notified of
the wreck, Lavinia, Poole's wife asked how many frogs the boys
had caught and did anyone get them from the truck.


