Bush suffers minor injuries when truck trailer overturns

Monday, November 1st 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Gov. George W. Bush, the Republican presidential front-runner, sustained minor injuries to his right leg and hip Monday when he dived to avoid a truck trailer that overturned near his jogging path.

Bush was treated at the scene and later traveled to New Hampshire for a scheduled campaign swing, said Linda Edwards, Bush's press secretary.

Staff Sgt. Roscoe Hughey, a 39-year-old Texas Department of Public Safety agent who was accompanying Bush on a bicycle, received bruises to his left side. He was in fair condition at the Brackenridge Hospital emergency room, DPS spokeswoman Tela Mange said.

Bush was running on the hike-and-bike trail around Town Lake in downtown Austin when the accident occurred about 12:06 p.m, according to Ms. Edwards and the Austin Police Department.

A truck pulling a dumpster-like trailer was traveling on the street that parallels the jogging trail when the trailer overturned. Debris -- including chunks of concrete and wood -- were dumped across the jogging path.

"We're not clear what made it lose control, but the truck was out of control," Ms. Edwards said.
She said Bush told her the injuries to his right leg and right hip were suffered when he dived to get out of the way. "Governor Bush is in good condition and good spirits and hopes
that Agent Hughey has not sustained any serious injuries," she said.

A witness, Ernest Bedford, 50, a pipeline inspector for the city who was working nearby, said he didn't hear any brakes squeal, just
"a big, loud bang." Bedford said he saw Bush in the clear but "the other guy was reaching his hand up out of the debris." Bush used Hughey's cellular telephone to call DPS officials at the Governor's Mansion, and they called 911, Ms. Edwards said. "The governor stayed with Roscoe until he was in the ambulance," she said. Hughey is a member of Bush's security detail.

Campaign spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said there was no reason to suspect that the driver intended to hit the governor. Austin police spokeswoman Sally Muir said the accident remained under investigation and that no charges had been filed as of Monday afternoon. Police did not immediately release the truck driver's name. A sign painted on the truck identified it as belonging to Longhorn Disposal. The company didn't immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press.