Wimer crossing plunges 40 ft. into Evans Creek; man, twin boys rescued

WIMER — A historic covered bridge collapsed into Evans Creek Sunday afternoon due to apparent structural failure, trapping 5-year-old twins and their 56-year-old grandfather in the timbered wreckage.

Mickey and Cleo Harvey of Medford, rescued by residents, suffered broken bones, cuts and abrasions, and were taken to Providence Medford Medical Center, officials said.

Cleo, listed in serious condition by hospital officials Sunday night, had surgery for a broken leg, while Mickey was treated and released, according to Sgt. Marty Clark of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

The boys’ grandfather, Billy "Mickey" Haynes of Wimer, who suffered from head trauma, was listed in serious condition Sunday night in the intensive care unit by hospital officials.

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Clark said Haynes told a deputy, "‘The bridge started shaking and then just collapsed.’"

The twins and their grandfather had just gone to the Wimer Market to buy ice cream before crossing the bridge.

Wimer resident Paul Howell said, "It was a miracle they survived."

When Howell went toward the bridge, he remembered, "I could hear one of the babies crying. It was lucky that the whole roof didn’t come down on them."

The 100-foot wooden structure, 7 miles north of Rogue River, fell about 40 feet into the creekbed.

However, much of the roof was still intact, making it possible for local rescuers to bring the man and two boys to safety before emergency personnel arrived.

Eyewitnesses said the grandfather and twins were standing in the middle of the bridge when a car went through.

Just after the car cleared the southern opening at about 2;30 p.m., the bridge collapsed, several eyewitnesses said.

The bridge, originally built in 1892, was scheduled for a $660,000 restoration through the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program.

The Wimer Bridge was the only covered bridge in Jackson County that still allowed vehicle traffic, according to County Engineer Dale Petrasek.

He said the most likely cause of failure was a weakened truss that had been identified in an earlier inspection.

Ken Harvey, father of the twins, said, "Everytime we went up there, they wanted to go across that bridge," he said. "They loved that bridge."

When Harvey and his wife got the call that their sons had been hurt, he said, "I was confused, I wanted to know what was going on," he said.

Harvey said the boys appeared to be doing well as of Sunday evening, but he was worried about their grandfather, who was scheduled to receive a CAT scan.

Blood still spattered on his T-shirt, Greg Worthington, who works for Covered Bridge Realty, rushed through thickets of blackberries along with other residents to extricate the grandfather and the twins.

"We heard the whole structure collapse, and we were hearing them crying," Worthington remembers. "Mickey (the grandfather) was pretty dazed. I think he got whacked pretty good."

Despite the tragedy, Worthington, whose own children play on the bridge, echoed the comments of most Wimer residents that the bridge should be rebuilt.

"It was such a beautiful bridge," he said. "That’s a part of Wimer."

Shawna Perry, who helped in the rescue effort, said, "My father pulled out the child and handed him to me. Cleo was hurt really bad."

Perry, pointing to little stains on her shirt, said, "He’s the little boy who gave me this blood."

When they brought them up to the store next to the bridge, they were screaming and they were very worried about their grandpa, she said

Although Cleo’s femur appeared to be broken, Perry said she was more concerned about the boy’s complaints of pain in his neck.

When the ambulance arrived, she said Cleo refused medication. "He said his friend didn’t wake up after he got medication," she said.

Despite their ordeal, the boys handled the situation as well as can be expected.

"I was very proud of them," said Perry. "They were very brave."

Like most residents who helped in the rescue, Perry didn’t think she did anything particularly brave herself.

"I did what anybody in this situation would do," she said.

Despite the tragedy, Sgt. Clark said looting had become a problem almost immediately after the collapse of the bridge.

Kelcy Boatman, 59, of Gold Hill was cited for criminal mischief and abuse of a venerated object after he allegedly took shingles from the structure, Clark said.

Deputies had also warned Wimer residents during the day not to take anything from the bridge, which is still considered a crime scene.

"The word is going out that some of them are going to come tonight (Sunday) and take souvenirs," said Clark.

Cheryl Martin-Sund, who carved her initials in the bridge as a child, said she and her husband, Bruce, were married on it on Sept. 7 1991.

"They shut down the road just for us," she said.

For Sund and other Wimer residents, it was a jolting experience to see a bridge that is a local landmark disappear in an instant.

"It breaks my heart," she said. "It’s such a part of Wimer.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com