Arkansas Democrat Gazette]:
Two local men were injured when their pickup truck left the road
and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38 early Monday.
Woodruff County Deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident shortly after
midnight Monday.
Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc, and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of Little
Rock , were returning to Des Arc after a frog-catching trip. On an
overcast Sunday night, Poole 's pickup 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 bullets from his pistol fitted 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 eastbound toward the White River Bridge .
After traveling approximately 20 miles, and just before crossing
the river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged and
struck Poole in the testicles. The vehicle swerved sharply right,
exited the pavement, and struck a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts
and abrasions from the accident but will require extensive surgery
to repair the damage to his testicles, which will never again
operate as intended. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated
and released. "Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston
shot his balls off, or we might be dead," stated Wallis.
"I've been a trooper for 10 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 Deputy 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?