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Blackout blamed for Sparta Street crash
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A back wheel was ripped from this SUV driven by Raymond Lockhart.
Lacy Garrison
Updated: Mar 19, 2016, 7:12 PM
Published: Mar 19, 2016, 8:12 PM

Police say seatbelts changed what could have been a fatal accident into a crash with minor injuries after a motorist blacked out behind the wheel and hit an oncoming SUV late Thursday afternoon on Sparta Street.
Linda Walker, 65, was transported to River Park Hospital for treatment of noncritical injuries while the driver of the SUV she hit, Raymond Lockhart, 49, escaped significant injury despite having a back tire sheered from his vehicle.
“Fortunately, everyone was wearing seatbelts and airbags deployed,” said McMinnville Police Lt. Mark Mara of the violent crash that happened in the curve near the Rescue Squad building on Sparta Street near the overpass.
Mara said Walker blacked out due to a medical issue as she was rounding the curve and headed into the path of Lockhart’s SUV. The impact with the back portion of the pickup ripped off the truck’s wheel but did not stop Walker’s Nissan as it continued off the road and was stopped just before plummeting off a high embankment.
Mara said her runaway vehicle was stopped by trees.
Local talent heads to Park
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Nikki Childers
Published: Apr 7, 2025, 2:08 AM

The next installment of The Park Theater’s Local Connection Concert Series is set to take center stage this Saturday, April 5 with Tito Gomez.

The Local Connection Concert Series put on The Park Theater focuses on talent sourced from the community. Gomez began his music career 14 years ago with a local band and has since released his solo album, “Lo Que Habia Soñado,” in 2016. He was born in Los Angeles, California but is well-known in the Warren County community as Victor Gomez.

Saturday night’s show will entail the singer-songwriter’s regional Mexican music, such as “El Oscar” or “Soy Edgar,” which is Gomez’s most popular song on Spotify.

The show begins at 7 p.m. and is expected to last approximately two hours. General admission is $15 and tickets can be purchased on Park Theater’s website, mcminnvilleparktheater.com, by phone at (931) 506-2787 or at its box office during normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. If available, a limited number of tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the event, while supplies last.