CAPE MAN KILLED IN TENNESSEE; CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS LIFE OF STEVE WRITE, INJURES WIFE

Steve Wright of Cape Girardeau, described as a friend of many, died in a car wreck in Tennessee Thursday night.

His wife, Kathy, was seriously injured in the accident. His son Scott received minor injuries.

The three were traveling to South Carolina to visit an older son, Corey, who serves in the military.

Kathy Wright, 46, was in critical condition in the trauma unit at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, Tenn., Friday afternoon.

Dr. Larry Gallamore, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, where the Wrights attend, said Kathy Wright was doing as well as could be expected Friday afternoon. "She has a broken vertebra and one crushed vertebra," he said.

Doctors were putting her into "halo traction" on Friday afternoon, and she could be able to travel in a few days, Gallamore said.

Halo traction keeps her neck immobilized, giving the vertebrae a chance to heal.

Funeral arrangements for Steve Wright were incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

All three were wearing seat belts. Scott Wright was in the front passenger's seat. Kathy Wright was in the back seat behind the driver.

The accident happened at 9:42 p.m. on Interstate 40 near Crossville, Tenn., about 110 miles east of Nashville.

Tennessee State Police reported that the Wrights were traveling east in a 1996 Honda Accord, driving in the right-hand lane of the interstate. A tractor-trailer in the passing lane attempted to change lanes into the right-hand lane and struck the Wrights' car, knocking it out of control. The car went off the roadway and overturned twice before landing back on its wheels.

Steve Wright, 48, died of head injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Jerry M. Lutes, 44, of Summerset, Ky., was issued a citation for having a false log book, police said. No criminal charges were filed.

About 70 people, including teachers and church members, attended a prayer service Friday morning.

"He was a wonderful leader here in the church," said Gallamore.

He served on the finance committee and was a regular in Sunday School class.

Gallamore said: "He was a good Christian man. Anything you asked, he would do. We need a church full of these kind of people."

Wright had served on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. He was first elected in 1993 and won re-election in 1996.

Wright resigned from the school board in December to seek employment by the school district.

He was hired for the Work Keys program at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School. The job is part of a federally funded program that creates job profiles.

Wright had said the position was perfect for his skills.

Formerly he worked as a car salesman and a banker.

"He was a natural fit and was growing into the job quite nicely," said Harold Tilley, director of the vocational school. "He will be missed."

A few days earlier Wright had returned from training in Iowa.

Wright was president-elect of the Optimist Club but had left the club about a month ago. His new job at the vocational school meant he couldn't attend noon meetings.

"He was highly respected by our guys," said Jim Ham, immediate past president of the Optimist Club. "I never saw him in a bad mood. He always had a smile. I'm just heart broken by the whole thing. Steve was a good guy."

Ham considers the Noon Optimist Club an extended family. "It's very shocking for something like this to happen to one of our family. He was a friend to many people."

Among those friends is Bob Fox. He and Wright attended Sunday school and church together. They were both members of the Noon Optimist Club and served together on the school board.

"Friends just don't come much better," Fox said. "He would always help do anything that needed to be done.

"It's a tough loss and really a shock," Fox said.

Fox said Wright was a people person.

"He was not a great public speaker, and he'd be the first to admit that," Fox said. "But he loved meeting people and interacting with them."

He enjoyed the new job at the vocational school because he was able to interact with lots of people.

Wright had discussed the trip with Fox before leaving.