Trailer trashed during move
November 18, 2008 by David Stephenson
Filed under Audio Slideshow, David Stephenson, Multimedia
Photos by David Stephenson, Story By Mary Meehan
CARLISLE — There’s little undisputed in this story, the tale of the tipped trailer.
Frances Barton’s single-wide, the one she had fully paid $5,000 for and was hoping to move to a little piece of land she was buying on a $250-a-month land contract, is now literally in pieces on Jim Gaunce’s front lawn.
And, everyone agrees, that leaves some 12 people — four adults and eight children ranging from 3 months to 12 years — facing Thanksgiving with no place to live.
I would just want to attack those walls with colouring...
I think the smartalec sheirff should have to pay for the trailer and the mess he made, he swowed no concern for the family, and knowing they had no money, he needs to take his drug attiyude, and drug money and pay the peiple, and should be fired.
If this sheriff would have followed Bible law instead of his law, these folks would have a place to call home. As it is now, the state will pick up the tap because of one man getting tired of directing traffic.
The law is the law. Trying to get things done cheap sometimes lands you in situations like this. Why didn’t someone who practices bible law help her, maybe they can get her a new trailer.
This is horrible. This lady has my prayers from now on. Why couldn’t the sheriff’s office put warning signs behind and before trailor to warn drivers? Flares or something, to give her a chance to find a way to move it? She probably didn’t have the money for permits and certainly not a tow fee from wrecker service with what they charge anymore. This was cold hearted and cruel, he was tired of he and his men being out in the cold and dark and so he destroyed her home. I hope she finds a good lawyer.
Think of the busiest highway in your town. Now remove half the lanes in one direction. Now picture rush hour in the rain. Now picture yourself sitting in traffic for 2 hours while traffic is directed around a trailer that was clearly not fit to be towed illegally by a tractor. Think of your family or children sitting at home waiting for you, wishing you were home to take care of them.
What is the Bible Law anyway? Does that mean that God should have moved it?
I guess if she didn’t have the money to properly move it, she shouldn’t have..
Seriously, if you hire “Pancake” to move your trailer for $200, what do you expect. Sad state of affairs, but not surprising.
What happen to people helping people? Doesn’t anyone have compassion any more, or is it just everyone on there own? It is a sad, sad world we live in. Not every one has a lot of money, they do what they can.
My family and I were stuck behind this mess at 5:30 in the evening. There was already a huge line of cars both ways, and no police in sight. In fact, we called a friend on the city dept. and told him they needed to find someone to get out there. The tires had already come off the trailer and then the rims came off. They ran into and over at least 2 road signs, and they’re only concern was that everyone should stop for them. What person starts hauling a mobile home down the road with only 2 hours of daylight left? There were no lights, warning signs, etc. to warn the inoccent drivers of the dangers ahead. I do feel sorry for them loosing their only home, but why didn’t they lighten the load and remove their belongings before they started on the road? Everyone know that’s common sense. I don’t feel sorry for them in the respect that they made a huge error in judgement and common sense. They are the ones that caused this to happen and therefore, they should pay for the clean up. Dick Garrett did what he felt was the best and safest thing possible for the majority of the public. If you have ever driven on that part of US 68, you would know what a dangerous road it is. (There are no passing lanes or pull offs.)
Oh my god. This has got to be a joke. 12 people in a single-wide trailer? Moving it with a tractor?! No wonder this was on Fark.com.
Don’t get me wrong, I would feel sorry for anyone losing their home, BUT, if it’s because of your own ignorance… wow. Before you start blaming Barney Fife over there for doing what needed to be done to get it out of the way, maybe you should blame yourself for making the, apparently asinine, chain of decisions that led to this. If it would’ve been me there, stuck in traffic for hours, I would’ve helped tip it over myself.
Do you have any idea how much of an inconvience your lack of planning, consideration, etc… caused people on the road?
Btw… loved the comment about BibleLaw and God moving it! Hillarious!
P.S. My comments are directed towards the adult members of the household, not the children. My heart goes out to them for having to be raised by people like this.
Sorry. “Inconvenience” was spelled incorrectly.
“Oh POOR ME! It’s not my fault that this happened. I deserve to have everyone only consider my needs when I’ve made a mistake.” Suck it up. You screwed up and you need to take responsibility for your actions. Just because a family has suffered a loss does not in any way absolve her of her own actions which put herself in this situation.
Did anyone catch that on WYKT she said that there were 10 people that lived there. Now she tells the paper that there’s 12. Sounds fishy…especially when I know for a fact that’s theres only 3
Well let’s talk about the truth. I was there and I know what happened. And as far as Bible Law well yes it say’s do on to others as you would have done on to you. well what about the book of proverbs in which the good Lord teaches us about wisdom and knowledge. were was the wisdom for this sinner ? As for the state picking up the tap for the clean up. the state has been paying for this group of non working welfare drawing group all of thier lives and the upstanding boyfriend sister who by the way is one of the people living in the trailer has been arrested for welfare fraud and is currently under indicment for trading her food stamps for drugs. And ask MRs. Barton about the other homes she has as well as all the drugs they are selling to children. I feel sorry for the children living with them.
They were givin 6 hours to remove their belongings, they were told the wheels were loose before they fell off, they DID get all their belonging out of the home before it was turn over, they hired a man and farm tractor to pull the trailer, they were told it was to old and not sound enough for transport and they made the discision to move it with out permission from the state and they buried it in the mud and block the roadway in the worst part of US 68 in turn could have cause a family to have gotten killed, and they left all their stuff inside. WHEN IS THE NEWS GOING TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY THE “VICTIMS” DID TO CAUSE THIS FIASCOE. What they are doing however is suckering you in to give them more stuff they don’t need. Mrs. Barton you did it and you need to take the blame.
This sheriff and his family have done more for carlisle than most other people would ever consider doing. where were all the caring friends of hers at when they needed help getting their crap out of the trailer? they werent there but they sure have got time to help when she wants everyone else to help pay for her mistakes. it is her fault and her fault only for putting these people in the situation that she put them into by hiring someone that has no clue what they are doing and her for being so stupid as not to check them out before saying yes i want you to move my and my familys home.
Someone should send an email to this with these comments. There’s got to be at least one friend of hers that has a dial-up AOL account. Mrs. Barton obviously has no clue on how the rest of the world interprets this situation.
Frances Barton (859) 289-6819 1361 Headquarters Rd, Carlisle, KY 40311
Someone should send her an email of these comments or call her to look at this page. I’m sure at least one of her friends has a dial-up AOL account.
If I wrecked a car on the side of the road in someones front lawn, i would be expected to clean it up. same goes for everybody else.
Whos fault is it if you are driving a car and the wheels fall off? YOUR FAULT
Same goes for everything else.
This dumb lady needs to take ownership and control of her own life. Period.
i am ashamed to be living the the same country with this kind of idiocracy.
The WORST part is, she has reproduced, and then her reproduction ALSO re produced. The idiots are multiplying faster than the brains!
It is so sad that we do not have any compassion, even if it is the woman’s bad judgement , we need to be sympathetic for others misfortune. I can’t believe people are so cold. God is not pleased with our attitude toward our fellow man. Shame
What was the sherrif supposed to do stay there forever? She wasn’t there maybe she was tired?? I am sure the sherrif was tired too!
This is bogus…like i said before…our sheriff is a damn good sheriff! This family is just trying to get something else for free! Sheriff Dick Garrett was on the scene from 5pm until 2:30am! What other sheriff would risk their Friday night to stand in the cold pouring rain to help save a poor families belongings? NO OTHER ONE WOULD! If i were Dick i would have pushed the damn thing over as soon as i got there, since now the media has taken a big blow out of this. everyone has said how sorry they feel for this family….well how sorry do you feel for us people that have to put up with them in our town. They are nothing but embarrassments to our county! they are just like several that we have here in the county, they move in here for a year or so, draw welfare, then they move out and leave all their bills and trash for us to take care of! The Sheriff needs more credit than he has recieved! All he did was try to do his job while helping the family out! The reporter did a horriable job writing this, next time she comes to nicholas county to interview someone, we need to correct her, this is NICHOLAS COUNTY, NOT MAYBERRY! And until she has to buy dicks smokes, she needs not have an opinion about our “Wiry Chain Smoker” we Love him anyway! “DICK AGAIN IN 2010″!!
I have lived in Nicholas Co. all of my 36 yrs. We are not all uneducated rednecks. Yes, we are a poor community, but we stick together. If a member of our community is sick, suffered fire or loss, we always have a kind neighbor near to help. We are the little town with the big heart. This lady would have been well taken care of by members of her own community until she started b*tchin and moaning about people who helped her that day in the cold rain. You dont bite the hand that feeds you. And for the people that feel sorry for her and the 4,5,10,12, or however many people she has living with her, dont feel sorry. The lady had 2 deep freezers full of Swan truck meals. She got all her stuff she wanted out of that trailer. The things she left, were things she didnt want anyway.JUNK!!! She is a con artist and nothing more. Open your eyes people !! If you feel it in your heart to help out others, then help good honest working people that are trying to make ends meat but dont get any help from the government because they do work. I for one will not be helping this lady and all the drifters she has living with her. I mean come on, what kind of woman can she possibly be? She has a freakin pot leaf tattoo on her neck!!!!
I am so glad I put on my stainless steel girdle this morning otherwise I would have split my sides laughing while reading this.
I had to google swann truck meals (Schwann’s).. i thought at first it might be some kind of meals on wheels deal.. but it’s not, its something you really buy, out of a truck, that comes to your house.
I live in Australia, and love to watch Americans from afar…
Better than the Simpsons…..LMAO
She had basically a flat tire. What was so hard about jacking it up, putting new tires on, throwing some gravel in the mud if needed, and continuing on her way? If she couldn’t afford it, then the Sheriff should have had his impound crew do it and billed her, not destroyed her home. The hitch broke? No excuse. Trailers have metal frames under them. Wreckers have chains and winches. Any mobile-home moving company has all those things, plus dollies, jacks, and lots of experience.
Destroying her house was pure spite on the part of the Sheriff. Being tired, wet, and grumpy doesn’t excuse him.
Freezers full of meals? Nice gesture. If her house had burned by accident, great. In this case, the sheriff might as well have burned it on purpose. Community helping her out doesn’t absolve him of responsibility.
Why don’t someone mention how “Sherriff Garrett” sells marijuana and that he’s been investigated in the past?
Maybe someone should come down here and investigate it a bit.
How in the heck am I going to explain this to my northern friend at work who are always criticizing us Southerners? I try to take up for us but Good Lord!!
What kind of idiot would risk everyone and everything around them to move some pile of junk trailer that she bought with a lawsuit settlement from a previous car accident down the road at 2 hours before dark using a hillbilly named “Pancake?” who charged $200 to MOVE ALL OF HER WORLDLY POSSESSIONS AND THOSE OF TWELVE OTHER PEOPLE on a rickety old trailer using a 40 year old farm tractor?
I just hope the Meth Lab in the bathroom was salvaged before ole Dick toppled it with his rickety ol farm tractors..
Yeee Haaaa!!!
YEEHA! They shoulda lit it on fire and danced around it like injuns!
Shame on Dick Garrett. What a low life. Have a heart. Bring your community together to help others in need. She was doing the best she could with the means that she had. I hope that he gets on his knees and asks for forgivness.
Honestly, I am form Nicholas County, and i am a student here. The reporters need to get a full story before they write one. I am a relative to Chris Myers. If the repoter had actual evidence then she would be able to spell the names correctly, instead of Chris “Pancake” Meyers. The story is exactly what it says a story. The pieces in the paper, are based on hear say, not actual facts. I wish that repoters would report on the things that happen in Lexington, like the prostiutes on every street corner or all of the drug deals that hit in Lexington. Instead they skip those stories, and show the ones that hurt families. There are plenty of things good that happen in Nicholas County, like the students pulling together to help a fellow student in her time of need. They also didn’t report 2002 when Nicholas County’s Relay for Life, made the most money over the whole state. What i am trying to say is that people need to get the facts, before thet start something. No, i am not upholding what Mr. Myers did, but neither am i upholding what Mrs. Barton did. Nicholas County is not all redneck hicks that are inbred and have forty kids. This county is full of honest hard working people who DO NOT NEED TO BE STEREOTYPED. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT, THEN CONE BACK AND TALK TO ME………………………
I have a serious problem with people who have never lived in Carlisle bashing our town and our law enforcement. I agree it is a tragedy that this woman lost all of her belongings, but common sense would tell you to remove everything before you move the trailer. The woman says that she doesn’t have any money to pay for a licensed professional mover, well maybe if you don’t have enough money for that you shouldn’t be moving at all. In my personal opinion anyone who can’t afford to do something the right way shouldn’t do it at all.
I do not appreciate the bias of the woman who wrote this story. FACT: part of being a journalist is the absence of malice, or not reflecting a biased opinion on the subject. If this woman were well educated about journalism she would know that. Unless she knows Mr. Dick Garrett personally she should avoid criticizing him for smoking or being wiry. That comment was completely irrelevant to the story. Dick Garrett is of age to make his own decisions and if he wants to smoke so be it! That has absolutely nothing to do with anything concerning the trailer or the people living in it.
Other examples from the article: what does the cleanliness of Mr. Gaunce’s windows have to do with this story? It’s amazing how this writer knows exactly how the windows were cleaned. Sheriff Garrett’s campaign slogan really has nothing to do with this story either.
This writer seems very ignorant about the subject. In her article, she barley mentions the actual sequence of events last Friday night; she is more focused on trying to humiliate Sheriff Garrett. The FACTS are, a U.S. Highway was blocked for hours, creating unsafe road conditions and Sheriff Garrett was duty-bound to correct the problem. It is only amazing he exercised as much patience with Ms. Barton’s illegal activities.
I would also like to add that Carlisle is nothing like Mayberry. If the author of the article had actually taken the time to familiarize herself Carlisle, she would have know that. But, if Carlisle is such an insignificant town, why cover our news on the front page of The Herald-Leader.
I have a serious problem with people who have never lived in Carlisle bashing our town and our law enforcement. I agree it is a tragedy that this woman lost all of her belongings, but common sense would tell you to remove everything before you move the trailer. The woman says that she doesn’t have any money to pay for a licensed professional mover, well maybe if you don’t have enough money for that you shouldn’t be moving at all. In my personal opinion anyone who can’t afford to do something the right way shouldn’t do it at all.
I do not appreciate the bias of the woman who wrote this story. FACT: part of being a journalist is the absence of malice, or not reflecting a biased opinion on the subject. If this woman were well educated about journalism she would know that. Unless she knows Mr. Dick Garrett personally she should avoid criticizing him for smoking or being wiry. That comment was completely irrelevant to the story. Dick Garrett is of age to make his own decisions and if he wants to smoke so be it! That has absolutely nothing to do with anything concerning the trailer or the people living in it.
Other examples from the article: what does the cleanliness of Mr. Gaunce’s windows have to do with this story? It’s amazing how this writer knows exactly how the windows were cleaned. Sheriff Garrett’s campaign slogan really has nothing to do with this story either.
This writer seems very ignorant about the subject. In her article, she barely mentions the actual sequence of events last Friday night; she is more focused on trying to humiliate Sheriff Garrett. The FACTS are, a U.S. Highway was blocked for hours, creating unsafe road conditions and Sheriff Garrett was duty-bound to correct the problem. It is only amazing he exercised as much patience with Ms. Barton’s illegal activities.
I would also like to add that Carlisle is nothing like Mayberry. If the author of the article had actually taken the time to familiarize herself Carlisle, she would have know that. But, if Carlisle is such an insignificant town, why cover our news on the front page of The Herald-Leader.
Sorry for posting that twice!
The truth of the matter is:
Sheriff Dick Garrett is a moronic hillbilly scumbag. I wouldn’t trust him to pump my gas. Is he growing plants where his teeth should be? Did he go to school? Ever graduate elementary school? He screwed up. This lady screwed up too. Maybe Sheriff Dick Garrett should move in with her once she gets a treehouse in the woods with her clan.
OK..there’s the reason! a pot leaf tatoo!! now you can stone her to death!
Imagine coming home to a pile of trash where YOUR house used to be, you cold hearted bastards! She’s just trying to get through life like you!
The members of our community would have helped out the woman if she hadn’t gone and got the news and everybody else involved. All she is doing is making herself look like a complete idiot along with our whole community! And the reporter should really go back to school to learn all about being a reporter again because her story was completely biased and based on very few facts and the rest of the story was complete here say. Another thing I don’t understand is how come this story was put on the front page of the newspaper on Tuesday when the whole incident happened Friday Night?!?! Was it not news worthy enough until Frances decided to go and get everyone involved just so she could get some attention? She owns another trailer in the same trailer park so evidently she’s not homeless. I think she needs to get her story straight about how many people she has living with her also, first it was 10 but now its 12. I just want to thanks Frances for making our county look like a bunch of idiot rednecks, I feel no sympathy for this women because:
1. She hired “pancake” to move her 28-year-old house out on one of the smallest roads in the county. Even if it had got off US Highway 68 it would have never made it down Myers Road or Cassidy Creek.
2. Maybe next time Sheriff Garrett will call the state police in and let them block the road. That’s going to be $20,000 for every hour they was there PLUS hiring a moving crew to attempt to move it.
Do our whole community a favor and place every female in your family on birth control and take your males to the health department so they have plenty condoms. The less non-working idiots breed the greater chance the working families have.
I had read that this lady paid for her now destroyed estate with a settlement from an auto accident. The 36 year old grandma sounds a bit like a con artist to me. Suing people to buy trailers then paying “pancake” to move them, then get all upset when it all falls apart- glad she’s homeless, maybe it will teach her a lesson-the unfortunate thing is somewhere the taxpayers will have to pick up the tab for part of this, either putting her up somewhere, the clean-up- something. It is a great story though…..next time I’m traveling it will be good for a few laughs.
I think the sheriff summed it up quite well, “they didn’t know what they’s a doin’”. On a personal note, I do not belive this is going to be the last time Frances Barton or the 11 others in her house are going to screw up. It boogles the mind, that people actually live in a 3 Stooges Episode, unbelievable.
Yes…homelessness…that’ll teach her to be poor! What was she thinking trying to move her trailer to a plot of land that she bought with her own money? Who gave her the right to try to live out her own version of the American dream?
The good news? I’m sure she has learned her lesson. After this little situation, I’m sure she’ll straigten herself right up, go to college, get herself a nice paying job, and find a nice big home to live in. Her family that seems to be depending on her for their livelihood will probably learn from her and her new found knowledge and decide to make something of themselves too! All of the sudden, years of generational povery is broken just because this woman lost her home and was homeless. Yes, that makes sense.
Of all the good that comes from this, you know what the best part is? “Trailertrash baby” had some good laughs over the demise of Barton’s current state of life. Glad you had some laughs at the expense of what is probably one of the hardest years this poor woman will ever have.
the people over at http://www.carlisleky.com said it best in reference to who she is and what she’s about.
I am so glad that this happened where it did. No disrespect to Mr & Mrs Gaunce because they are wonderful people. But if this trailor had made it down Hwy 68 and onto Myers Road, I can guarantee you that if it landed in my front yard, Ms. Barton would have less time to clean it up. She is only wanting publicity and for other hardworking people to feel sorry for her and give her handouts. Sheriff Garrett is a friend and is always willing to help others when needed. His personnel life is not in question. However, the intelligence of others should be. Sheriff Garrett and his deputy stood in the cold, rainy weather for 10 hours, trying to help this family. They did nothing wrong. For anyone that thinks he should pay for this “home”, well I trust your judgement as much as Ms. Bartons. At any time did Ms. Barton ever consider the wellfare of travelers on the busy highway? All that we heard from her was “poor, pitiful me” or “The bad sheriff pushed my home over”. My advice to her: Do things the legal and right way. God will help the ones that help themselves.
Funny things in the article:
1. House destroyed (duh)
2. 12 people were living in a single wide
3. Single wide costs $5000
4. Lady is 35, has grandchildren.
5. 2 people in the story with last name Gaunce not related
6. An elected Sheriff actually ran with the slogan “More ‘Dick’ in 2006″
7. Why does it matter he’s a chain smoker?
8. Used a farm tractor to move the trailer
9. “…where Garrett Tuesday was reviewing a Mayberry-like constituent call concerning a thwarted attempt to snatch a fresh cherry pie from a kitchen.”
10. SHOCKER ALERT: Barton, who helps manage the mobile park where she lived, paid for her home with a settlement from an automobile accident.
11. Chris “Pancake” Meyers
12. Isn’t “unofficially adopted kids” kidapping?
13. “watched most of it unfold from his rocker in a sunny living room with windows so spotless birds frequently thud into the glass while trying to fly through.” Thanks Charles Dickens.
14. Cows eating insulation is a concern.
It all comes down to the nit-wit tractor driver. Who did not check the tire pressure, nor the lugs, who had little or no experience moving a lengthy trailer, or this would of never occurred.
She was trying her best to get this done on the cheap. She was excited, happy, and trusted the nim-wit.
Then enter Barney the dick sheriff. It’s a very small town, so how bad could rush hour really be?
I mean, one cop, it has to be very small.
I say she should do the American thing and sue. Sue em all. Or get into another car wreck, and start over again.
Only next time, make sure to wait until the elections are over. Barney the Dick won’t be in office.
First of all i think mrs.Barton is a con artist. She knows pancake on a first name basis therfor she knows pancake has no insurance or permit but she wanted to do it anyway. If her personel belongings were so important to her you figured she would of taken them out. But since she didnt now she can get lots of free hand outs like she has for the last 30 sum years. And for Dick if you dont know him you shouldn’t say a damn thing about him. he has helped me and everybody else i know here in carlisle from giving them grocery money or driving them somewhere when they dont have a car. And for the people that dont know what u.s 68 is its the main highway from Lexington to Ohio and it just happens to run threw Nicholas co. and yes there is alot of traffic on it maybe you all should pick a map up and look for your self. and trust me she doesnt need anymore hand outs she got 3 truck loads out of furniture and other belongings for the 3 people that live there. Thanks dick for doing us all a favor
Yea, it’s http://www.carlisleky.com for those of you who where asking what the communty site was. People from Carlisle are talking there about what went on. Pretty interesting.
Rush hour isnt’ bad in town, but this road doesn’t go directly through town. It’s in the county, and it’s a major commercial route between Lexington and Ohio. Very heavily traveled.
so what if your sherrif is a dick and u have poor people who “git” welfare. sh&* happens, and you should quit complaining about it and go to work cuz after George Bush is done we’ll probably all be on welfare.
Cost of Mobile Home Insurance for a single wide trailer owned and owner occupied in Carlisle Kentucky: $392.44 per annum (courtesy: Specialty Homeowners).
Current street price of uncut crystal meth: $260 per gram (courtesy: methhelponline.com)
Knowing that the trailer could have been insured for less than the expected return on the sale of two grams of crystal meth: priceless.
Everyone in this story serves as an example of what happens in Kentucky when brothers marry their sisters.
Are you serious? The sheriff should pay? If he followed God’s law? Ridiculous! You blame the officer for doing his job?
If an unlicensed, uninsured motorist is broke down in the middle of the road, we’re supposed to let it ride? Maybe they should have left it where it is and build a new bend in the road to go around her new place to live?
Its not teaching the poor a lesson for being poor. Its teaching a lesson on ignorance: there are laws in place for the safety and well being of all God’s creatures. Not just Frances. Imagine if accidents had been caused, or the trailer had tipped the other way into oncoming traffic. They have licensed mobile home haulers. If you want to move your mobile home, PAY FOR IT.
I think Dick showed marvelous patience and kindness by ignoring his first time limit of 2 hours. I’ve had friends that were broke down in the middle of a road where the cops didn’t wait 9 hours to do something about it. They call a tow truck and get it moved whether or not you can afford it.
The apparent moral of this story:
If your ignorance puts you in a bind, make sure CNN picks up the story!