Body found near Route 57
August 21, 2005
A sleeping man fell out of the back of a moving pickup truck on Route 57 less than an hour before the driver was arrested for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, state police said.
Robert James Persinger, 31, of Carterville, fell out of the truck’s open gate, State Police Lt. Scott Rice said in a statement on the state police’s media line. The accident occurred in Franklin County at 5:09 a.m., and resulted in Persinger’s death, Rice said.
Lee Haught, 24, of Colp, was the driver of the vehicle, Rice said. After Persinger fell out of the truck, Haught was involved in an accident in Marion and was eventually arrested for DUI and driving on a suspended license. Although it is unknown whether or not he was wearing his seat belt, he was unharmed and his truck was not damaged, Rice said.
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After a wreck at 5:36 a.m. in Marion near Russell St. and W. Main St., Haught was taken into custody. Initially charged with aggravated DUI, he was taken to Heartland Regional Medical Center, examined and then moved to Williamson County Jail, a Marion police officer said.
The state police’s statement said there was an additional charge for driving on a suspended license, however, the Marion police would not confirm that.
Rice said until the investigation is complete there is no way to know if Persinger had also been drinking. It is unknown what, if any, relationship the two men had.
The Pershinger’s accident happened a half-mile past mile marker 75 in the southbound lane, Rice’s statement said.
Reporter Zack Quaintance can be reached at [email protected].
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