Dec. 23. No, it wasn’t a new donut store that that snarled traffic this afternoon on West Catawba Avenue. A dump truck got stuck in the mud midway between Nantz and Westmoreland Roads causing major delays in both directions.

According to Police Chief Bence Hoyle, the truck driver appeared to be trying to access a private driveway on the west side of Catawba Avenue when the wheels slipped down into a drainage ditch which runs along the road. Heavy rain was falling at the time, and before crews were able free the truck, both north and southbound traffic came to a standstill. Northbound delays went all the way to Sam Furr Road, while southbound motorists came to halt east of Jetton Road.

The incident occurred shortly after noon. Traffic wasn’t back to normal until after 2 pm. No one was hurt, but the highly visible wishing well on the north side of Catawba Avenue near the sidewalk fell victim to the truck when it became stuck.