Truck Accident

COEUR d'ALENE - A driver for Runge Furniture suffered a seizure behind the wheel on route Thursday afternoon, crashing the delivery truck into a two vehicles and a Coeur d'Alene home.

Loren Heisel, 40, blacked-out behind the wheel around 12:30 p.m. while heading northbound on 15th street near Harrison Avenue, causing the unloaded truck to veer off into the southbound lane, striking the vehicles and the garage at 1206 N. 15th St.

"I don't know when I'm getting ready to have one," Heisel said at the scene of the seizures he's experienced off and on for a year. "Whenever I have one I pretty much forget what happens."

The accident stretched more than 100 feet, hitting eight points of impact, according to Coeur d'Alene Police, including trees, cars, curbs and the chain link fence to the home.

"I really can't remember," Heisel said. "The next thing I remember is the owner coming up to me saying everything was all right and I was going to be OK."

Nobody involved in the accident required medical attention at the scene. The homeowner, Ronald Kushmaul, was in the back of the home working on the computer when he felt the impact on the house.

"I saw the trees in the garage and I saw the truck in the garage," Kushmaul said. "I feel sorry for the guy. He seemed all right. He just seemed a little dazed."

Witnesses said the northbound-heading truck pulled out into southbound lane at speeds faster than the 25 mile-per-hour limit as though it were attempting to pass another car. Shortly after, it struck a yellow Nissan XTerra before hitting the east curb near the Harrison intersection and taking out the fence and trees at the home.

Heisel, who has worked for Runge for six years, said doctors recently discovered a tumor in his head. He was examined at the scene and checked himself into Urgent Care Thursday afternoon.

Jeff Runge, Runge manager, said Heisel had been cleared to drive with the store since he hadn't experienced seizures in months since seeking medical treatment.

The intersection at 15th Street and Harrison Avenue has been widened and infrastructure has been put in recently in preparation for a traffic signal to come up sometime this year.

"I saw him there and then he came at me and then he ran into the home," said Anthony Myers, 17, who was driving southbound and veered off to the left when the truck came at him. "I had to get out of the way, you know? He seemed like he was going pretty fast."

Police are investigating.