Asleep driver crashes into light pole

By Carrie A. Mizell

Residents of Trenton were without power for almost two hours Monday afternoon, after an Old Town teenager fell asleep while driving through the middle of Trenton, causing her vehicle to strike a concrete light pole and take down power lines.
Victoria Fulford, 19, of Old Town was reportedly westbound on SR 26 just before 5 p.m. when she fell asleep behind the wheel of a 2004 Ford F150. According to Trenton Police Chief Billy Smith, the truck veered off the roadway and traveled some 200 feet before striking a concrete light pole, snapping it in half and also pulling up the bottom of the pole.

The truck then reportedly struck the exterior of the old Eddie Colt service center and bounced off the building another 40 feet before coming to a final stop.
Gilchrist County EMS had to utilize the Hearst tools to remove the top of the truck to remove the driver from the vehicle.
The driver’s mother, Karen Fulford, 55, also of Old Town, was a passenger in the truck at the time of the accident. She received only minor injuries.
Once the driver was extricated from the truck, she was airlifted to the the hospital with serious injuries to her legs.
According to Chief Smith, the two women had reportedly made several trips to and from Gainesville throughout the day on Monday and just before the accident the passenger fell asleep followed by the driver of the truck.
The F150 was considered a total loss, Chief Smith said.
Victoria Fulford will be cited for failing to maintain a single lane.
Chief Smith expressed thanks to Bill Park and Progress Energy for their prompt service responding to the power outage.