Last month, an Indiana truck driver followed the directions his GPS gave him, and it led him on a path straight to jail.
Gerard Hudson, 46 was driving through Spencerville , Indiana and his GPS was leading the way. It directed him to on a path over the historic Spencerville Covered Bridge.
The bridge has a clearance of 12 feet 6 inches. Unaware of an alternate bridge his GPS did not direct him to, Hudson continued on the GPS recommended path and drove through the 140-year-old bridge.
Hudson made it across the bridge safely; however, the bridge sustained serious damage.
“Hudson was arrested and booked into the DeKalb County Jail on a felony charge of criminal mischief. He was being held Wednesday night in lieu of $1,500 bail. County Highway Superintendent Eric Patton closed the red-and-white bridge to traffic because of the damage. Structural engineers will be contacted to assess the condition of the bridge, the sheriff’s department said,” the Journal Gazette reported.
Initially, the damage was estimated at nearly $300,000; however, the final tab is in. The total to repair the bridge is now estimated at $89,000, while significantly less then the original estimate, the nearly $90,000 figure is nothing to sneeze at.
“Engineers from Indianapolis-based USI Consultants Inc. inspected the historic wooden bridge and issued the report that calls for a series of repairs, including rebuilding both entrances and replacing the roof trusses and 60 feet of the roof,” the Journal Gazette reported.
The paper reported that as of Wednesday, Hudson remained in jail.
“According to the sheriff’s department, Hudson was driving for J.F. Freight Co. of Palatine, Ill., and he was insured. The highway superintendent has said he expects J.F. Freight’s insurance will have to cover the cost of the bridge damage,” the Journal Gazette reported.