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Firefighter, Deputy Killed While Working Wrecks in Onslow

Submitted by: FireNews.net Staff

Onslow County

VERONA - An Onslow County Sherrif’s Deputy and a Volunteer Firefighter were killed this morning while working numerous crashes on US Highway 17 South near Verona.

Dense smoke had blanketed the area resulting in zero visibility. Several traffic collisions occurred. While attempting to locate the multiple accident scenes along the roadway, the deputy and firefighter were directing traffic around the area. A tractor-trailer ran into them, killing both. Another deputy was seriously injured.

Killed was Verona Assistant Chief Colin Gene Thomas and Deputy Steve Boehm.

Intial 911 reports indicated a crash was on an overpass with a child involved. While attempting to locate this scene, additional crashes happened along the stretch of roadway.

Verona was assisted by Turkey Creek, Sneads Ferry, Onslow County EMS, Sneads Ferry Rescue and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

(FireNews.net Staff Report)

VERONA - Members of the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department and the Verona Volunteer Fire Department are mourning today’s loss of two of their own.

“I received a call I hoped I’d never get,” Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said.

Gene Thomas, 51, a volunteer fireman with the Verona Volunteer Fire Department and Steve Boehm, 36, a deputy with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department died Saturday after a northbound truck struck them as the two responded to an early morning traffic accident on U.S. 17. Deputy Bill Hall, who was also injured, was taken to New Hanover County for treatment and was later released.

Deputies and firefighters were directing traffic in the area due to limited visibility on the highway because of fog and smoke from what base officials said were the smoldering remains of gun range fire.

Capt. Rick Sutherland of the sheriff’s department said military officials requested assistance with traffic along the stretch of U.S. 17 south of Jacksonville between Dixon and Verona just minutes before the report of an automobile wreck in the same area.

Boehm responded to that wreck, which was on the southbound side of the highway, while Hall and members of the Verona Volunteer Volunteer Fire Department responded to a separate wreck in the northbound lanes, according to information provided by the Sheriff’s Department. After Boehm crossed U.S. 17 to assist them, a tractor trailer driven by 51-year-old Robert Lee Kornegay of Fayetteville plowed into the men.

Highway Patrol Lt. Everett Clendenin told the Associated Press that charges are pending against Kornegay.

Brown said the scene was total chaos.

He said military officials made their request for assistance at 4:50 a.m. Saturday. Four minutes later the southbound accident - involving a vehicle towing a boat - was reported. As emergency responders continued to arrive, they came upon the other accident in the northbound lanes.

A vehicle traveling northbound then came through the area and sideswiped an emergency vehicle. Brown said Hall told him he, Boehm and Thomas then heard a woman yelling for help. As Boehm and Thomas went to look for her, Hall decided to back up his patrol car to create a larger buffer around the area. He told Brown that when he got out of his vehicle and saw the headlights of a tractor trailer approaching, he immediately yelled out, “Run! Run!”

The tractor trailer hit Hall’s vehicle, knocking it to the side of the road, and several others before coming to a rest against an emergency vehicle.

Brown said he thinks the tractor trailer hit Boehm and Thomas full force, killing them instantly, before ramming the other vehicles.

The series of collisions involved a total of eight vehicles, took two lives and impacted many more.

Brown said he personally delivered the news of Boehm’s death to his wife, Kim Lawrence, as soon as possible, so she would not hear about it from anyone else. In addition to his wife, Boehm is survived by a son, Daniel Lawrence; daughters Crystal, Sam and Tiffany Lawrence; and a brother, Dennis Boehm, all of Jacksonville.

Boehm, who graduated from White Oak High School in 1990, has been with the sheriff’s department for 10 years and was the school resource officer at White Oak, Brown said.

Brown described the deputy as quiet and reserved.

“SRO was more than a job to him, he was a mentor for the school - it was a project for him, not a duty, and he was committed to that job,” Brown said. “We will miss him and his family is going to miss him.”

Since school ended Wednesday, Boehm had just been reassigned to the patrol division.

“His wife told me he was really excited and looking forward to the assignment,” Brown said.

A memorial service for Boehm will be held at White Oak on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Thomas had served about 30 years with the Verona Volunteer Fire Department, according to VFD Capt. Kevin Davis. It was something he was born to do.

“He has grown up in the fire service,” Davis said. “His father was a firefighter, his two brothers are firefighters ... they enjoyed careers as volunteer firefighters and it takes a special breed to do that.”

Davis said Thomas was a familiar sight at the station who would gladly be there any time he was needed.

“He enjoyed volunteering and he enjoyed doing the work,” Davis said. “He was a (Department of Transportation) worker, he enjoyed doing that work and he enjoyed volunteering. He lives right across the street from the department and he was always the first one in the building.”

He said the department was shocked by the news they had lost one of “our family.”

Thomas is survived by his wife Nancy Thomas; daughter, Nicole Thomas of Jacksonville; mother Geraldine Joy Thomas of Verona; and two brothers, Wayne Thomas and Toby Thomas of Verona.

Funeral services for Thomas will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at Jones Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville.

(jdnews.com)

VERONA - A tractor-trailer struck and killed an Onslow County firefighter and sheriff’s deputy while they were directing traffic on U.S. Highway 17 during a controlled burn on Saturday morning.

Deputy Steve Boehm and fireman Gene Thomas, with the Verona Fire Department, died in the wreck, said Capt. Rick Sutherland, of the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.

“(Thomas and Boehm) were killed this morning while fulfilling their call to protect and serve the citizens of Onslow County,” Sutherland said in a release. “This loss is a great tragedy for everyone. These men served honorably.”

At 4:50 a.m., Camp Lejune authorities called the sheriff’s office to ask for help with traffic on U.S. 17. A controlled burn on the military base had created low visibility on the highway, Sutherland said.

A few minutes later, a wreck occurred in the southbound lanes, and a second wreck took place in the northbound lanes directly across the highway. Boehm responded to the wreck in the southbound lanes, and Deputy Bill Hall and Verona firefighters, including Thomas, responded to the second wreck.

A vehicle traveling in the northbound lanes then sideswiped an emergency vehicle, and Boehm crossed U.S. 17 to assist, Sutherland said.

Hall backed his patrol car farther up U.S. 17 to create a larger buffer for emergency personnel. When Hall got of the car, he saw the headlights of an approaching tractor-trailer.

The tractor-trailer struck and killed Boehm and Thomas, Sutherland said.

Hall was struck by his patrol car and knocked to the side of the road. He was treated and released from New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

U.S. 17 has been reopened after being shut down in both directions for several hours.

(WRAL.com)

U.S. Fire Administration

Name: Colin Gene Thomas

Rank: Firefighter

Age: 51

Gender: Male

Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 33

Date of Incident: 06/14/2008

Time of Incident: 0530hrs

Date of Death: 06/14/2008

Fire Department: Verona Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 101 Verona Rd., Jacksonville, NC 28540 (USNG: 18S TD 7350 3916)

Telephone: (910) 455-4772

Fire Department Chief: Wayne Thomas

Incident Description: Firefighter Thomas passed away from injuries sustained when he was struck by a semi tractor-trailer on a stretch of US Highway 17 adjacent to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Camp Lejeune contacted the Sheriff’s office shortly before 0500hrs requesting assistance with traffic control because of extreme low visibility conditions on the roadway due to smoke from a controlled burn on the Base combining with fog.

Firefighter Thomas, along with Onslow County Deputy Sheriff Steven Boehm, 36, who was also struck and killed by the tractor-trailer, had been directing traffic when a series of 8 vehicle collisions took place in the northbound travel lanes of the highway. Thomas, Boehm and others heard and responded to calls for help, searching through the fog and smoke when unfortunately they were struck by the tractor-trailer. The tractor-trailer then struck several other vehicles sending another deputy to the hospital; he was later released.

Incident Location: US Hwy 17 between High Hill Road (18S TD 7312 3750) and NC Hwy 210 (18S TD 7255 3028).

Map View:

http://www.fidnet.com/~jlmoore/usng/?zoom=12&usng=18STD7233434061&disp=h

Funeral Arrangements: Visitation, 1800-2000hrs 06/16/2008, and Services, 1100hrs 06/17/2008 @ Jones Funeral Home, 303 Chaney Ave., Jacksonville, NC 28540 (18S TD 7796 4842)

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In honor of Firefighter Colin Gene Thomas, C/o Verona Volunteer Fire Department, 101 Verona Rd., Jacksonville, NC 28540.

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Gene Thomas at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

ARRANGEMENTS:

Visitation
Monday, June 16, 2008 from 18:00 to 20:00 hours
Jones Funeral Home
303 Chaney Avenue
Jacksonville, NC 28540
910-455-1281

Services
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at 11:00 hours
Jones Funeral Home

Internment at Onslow Memorial Park on Highway 24

(Arrangment information courtesy NCFFF.org)

Primary Agency: Verona Fire Department

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Posted on Sat Jun 14 2008 at 19:26 UPDATED: Mon Jun 16 at 13:45

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Reader Comments:

My deepest condolences go out to the Verona fire Dept and the Onslow County Sheriffs Office, and the friends and family’s of these two brave men who so dedicatedly served the citizens of onslow County, you will never be forgotten.

Brandon Edwards
Southwest fire Dept 1998-2003
Rhodestown Fire Dept 2003-2005
Jacksonville Rescue 2004-2005
U.S. Army Military Police
2005-Present

Posted by Brandon Edwards on Sun Jun 15 2008 at 19:46

Firemans Prayer

Fireman’s Prayer When I’m called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage. Give me strength to save a life whatever be its age. Help me to embrace a little child before it is too late Or save an older person from the horror of that fate. Enable me to be alert to hear the weakest shout And quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me. To guard my every neighbor and protect their property. And if according to Your will I have to lose my life, Please bless with Your protecting hand my children and my wife

Posted by Brandon Edwards on Sun Jun 15 2008 at 19:53

Thin Blue Line
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers

Among us, sent down from Heaven,
Are those that walk a Thin Blue Line, that’s a given.
Like Guardian Angels to watch over me and you,
Are those that wear the uniform of brown and blue.

We see them only as traffic stops,
We do not call them friends, just cops.
We pray we never have a chance meeting,
We never pass along a greeting.

But they are so much more than this,
They simply do not see the world as bliss.
But they look into the corners of our deepest fear,
They walk the beat, they dry a tear.

They bring a message to our home,
When all is not well, and we are alone.
They come to us, no matter the need,
Handle the problem, complete the deed.

They lay their personal feelings aside,
They do their job, they have great pride.
And if one should fall among life’s thing,
The badge they wear, turns into wings.

Posted by Brandon Edwards on Sun Jun 15 2008 at 19:55

My Condolences to the Verona VFD and Onslow Co. Sheriffs offices.

Lt. James E.
Austin Fire Dept., TX

Posted by James E. on Sun Jun 15 2008 at 20:46

God Bless The Thomas Family

Posted by Billy Bryan on Sun Jun 15 2008 at 23:01

My deepest condolences go out to not only the Fire Department Family of Mr. Thomas but to also the Sheriffs Department Family of Deputy Boehm but also to their individual families. I went by the scene and I didn’t know what had happened, when my brother-in-law told me I lost it. I was on Taylors Bridge FD for 5 years,I resigned when I became a mother. I never really thought about something like this happening I just thought about the bravery of ALL Firefighters!!! My prayers are with each of you..

Posted by Erin Heath on Mon Jun 16 2008 at 14:00

God bless the Thomas family, for Gene is sitting with God now telling Him about all the good things that this family has done in little oh Verona. And special thanks to you all family and Station 19 for being there when we called upon you no matter the time. Thanks Haws Run VFD

Posted by D. Hansley on Mon Jun 16 2008 at 22:40

Our family sends out our prayers to all in the Thomas family, and to the members of the Verona VFD. Also to the Boehm Family and the members of the Onslow County Sheriffs Office. It is truely sad when we loose such fine men from our community and from our emergency response family. Words can not express our pain, yet may we be encouraged that Jesus Christ does reign in Heaven and they now, we pray, are there with Him. I must say that there are few families left in our world as awsome as the Thomas family. And I thank God for them and all men and women like them.

Posted by Kevin J. Hunter on Tue Jun 17 2008 at 6:52

gene was a true and dear friend to me and i well miss him dearly,he was a kind person and was always there when i needed help with something or just someone to talk to.my prayers and thoughts go out to the thomas family who have been very good to me in past years.

Posted by carlton lawrence on Thu Jul 03 2008 at 19:48

Sorry to hear the bad news. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

Posted by Jeff on Tue Jul 15 2008 at 4:20

God bless his family.
RIP

Posted by Scooter Girl on Thu Jul 31 2008 at 14:06

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Wed Aug 20 at 08:37

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Firefighter, Deputy Killed While Working Wrecks in Onslow