Evansville, Ind., NBC affiliate WFIE got some good press when it recalled a photographer sent out to cover an accident.
BREAKING — I-64 mile marker 5, we’re hearing two semis overturned with possible people trapped. Sending a @14News crew that way.
— Jess Raatz (@jess14news) February 9, 2016
“Just before our 6pm newscast a snowsquall hit the Tri-state pretty hard,” WFIE news director Joe Schlaerth told TVSpy. “Many of the roads were not treated and they became dangerously slick.”
The station sent a photog to cover the semi crash. “We decided to pull him because of dangerous conditions,” Anchor Jackie Monroe told Knowensboro.com, which first reported the story. “And shortly afterwards Indiana State police called and suggested we not send him. It would’ve been too dangerous. They were glad to hear we already made that call.”
“6 and 10 anchor Jackie Monroe made the ultimate call based on the conditions at the time,” said Schlaerth. “Jackie and the rest of our Team knows how incredibly important safety is to me and GM Jay Hiett. We talk often about the personal safety of our MMJ reporters and our photojournalists. And Raycom Corporate reminds all of the stations to think of our crews whenever a big event takes place in one of our markets.”
Never mind, we’re being told it’s too dangerous – so we’re calling off our @14News photographer to that crash on I-64
— Jess Raatz (@jess14news) February 9, 2016
This story was updated after WFIE got back to us with comment.