(The following story by J.D. Sumner appeared on the Albany Herald website on September 10.)
TIFTON, Ga. — Ronald Harp had a great reason to cry over spilled milk Tuesday. It was, after all, the milk in his refrigerated tractor-trailer rig that was spilled on the roadway after his truck was hit by a train.
The 39-year-old Tifton man was cited for failure to yield to the Norfolk Southern train after it collided with his truck around 10:19 a.m. Tuesday, Trooper Joshua Augusta said.
Augusta said that Harp was headed north on Second Street when the collision occurred, knocking his truck on its side and spilling its cargo — milk in both gallon-sized containers and small individual cartons — onto the road.
Harp complained of a minor leg injury, but was treated at the scene.
Because he was hauling a food product, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture had to be called, GSP Tifton Post Commander Sgt. Scott Woodell said.
“You can’t cry over spilled milk, but most of that milk wasn’t salvageable,” Woodell said.
Augusta said that the train sustained minor damage in the crash.