By DaNae Seymour ACCIDENT SCENE: Michael R. Robison of rural Bloomfield was killed Monday morning when the Honda Civic (left) he was driving was hit head on by Tristan S. Hamblin of Shoals. Hamblin was driving a GMC Sierra pick-up truck (right).

A deer crossing the roadway was attributed as the primary cause of the crash by law authorities. However, alcohol may have been a contributing factor.

Michael R. Robison, 53, Route 6, Bloomfield, was pronounced dead at the scene of massive internal injuries, according to Greene County Coroner Brian Gainey.

Robison was driving a 1991 Honda Civic station wagon that was struck head-on by a 1995 GMC Sierra pickup driven by 27-year-old Tristan S. Hamblin of Shoals.

The investigating officer, Greene County Sheriff's Department Lt. Bryan Woodall, said Hamblin's truck was northbound on State Road 45 about 6:52 a.m. when a deer crossed into his path. Hamblin swerved to miss the deer and went off the east side of the road. He overcorrected and the vehicle came back on the road and stuck Robison's southbound passenger car.

The accident occurred near the junction of County Road 250 South between the north and south entrances to Blue Sky Subdivision.

Robison and Hamblin were both entrapped in their respective vehicles and were both wearing a seatbelt and lap harness, Woodall said.

Hamblin was transported to Bedford Regional Medical Center for treatment of a broken ankle. His condition is not known.

Hamblin, who was driving a truck registered to Townsend Tree of Yorktown, was also cited by law authorities after he refused to submit to an implied consent form authorizing a blood/alcohol chemical test. He was cited for refusal involving a serious personal injury or death statute at the scene of the crash. A search warrant was obtained through the Lawrence County Superior Court II and a blood draw for lab analysis was obtained at the hospital, according to a report filed by Lt. Woodall.

Results of the chemical tests are pending.

The wreck caused State Route 45 to be blocked for about two hours as emergency personnel and law enforcement personnel worked the accident scene.

Sheriff Terry Pierce said the wreck is a tragedy and re-emphasized the need for motorists to be very careful during this time of the year when deer are obviously on the run and susceptible to crossing onto roadways with little or no warning.

"Deer are abundant and it's devastating what they can do," the sheriff said. "Be cautious and slow down. They are going to be moving."

Lt. Woodall agreed and noted that motorists need to be very careful, especially around dawn or dusk.

Woodall noted said a motorist's first inclination is to swerve to miss any animal that crosses onto the roadway.

"When you swerve, you can lose control," he said. "You might be better off just hitting the deer."

Assisting at the scene were personnel from the Greene County Sheriff's Department, Center Township Fire and Rescue, Owensburg Fire Department, Eastern Fire Department, the Greene County Ambulance Service, as well as Perry Township Fire Department from Lawrence County.