Homeowner says sheriff ruined her American dream
Updated: Nov 19, 2008 10:15 PM CST
CARLISLE, KY (WAVE) - A Kentucky family is in disbelief after their home was destroyed because of an order given by a county sheriff. It is something so unbelievable that WAVE 3's Scott Harvey and photographer Nick Goldring made the two-hour drive to see if it was true.
Frances Barton thought things were getting better.
Frances Barton
"I bought some land, beautiful land, to give my children a better life," said Barton.
Friday, she was having her mobile home moved when the trailer broke. That left it stranded in the mud, partially blocking U.S. 68 in Carlisle.
"They paid somebody $200 and that is what you get for $200," said Nicholas County Sheriff Dick Garrett.
Sheriff Dick Garrett
"We are poor people. We don't have a lot of money," said Barton. "We live paycheck to paycheck. What was I supposed to do? I trusted those people."
Nine hours and several failed rescue attempts later, Garrett said he had no other option.
"I've got cars going by saying you dumb bunch of hillbillies and people cussing at me, because they were stopped in traffic," said Garrett. "We've tried everything that I know to try. We are going to take two farm tractors with buckets on them and we are going to try and scoot it off of the road."
It turns out that did not work either.
"When it went to slide, it went up and when it went up, it went over," said Garrett.
Image of Destroyed Mobile Home
"Yeah it was a mobile home, but it was my mobile home," said Barton. "This was something that we worked for."
Barton's home rolled over into a ditch, destroying it and everything inside.
"I can understand that they think that my home is junk, but it's not," said Barton. "My daughter hasn't been to school in three days, because I didn't have anything to send her in. I couldn't explain it to her."
Now Barton, her boyfriend, her four kids, and six others who were living in the home don't know where they will spend Thanksgiving or the rest of the holidays.
"We already had the turkey and everything. It's in the kitchen," said Barton. "I don't even know how I'm going to buy Christmas for my own children, when they don't even have a home to sleep in."
But Barton does not have time to think about it. The sheriff told her if she does not get the mess cleaned up, she will face a hefty fine.
"In ten days," said Barton. "I don't have any money. I don't even have a home."
"If they would have gotten a reputable moving company, that had insurance and knew what they were doing, you wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be having this conversation," said Garrett. "I had to do what I was elected to do and what I thought was in the best interest of my community."
Barton and her family did receive help from the local Red Cross, putting them in a hotel for three nights. But now Barton says she doesn't have anywhere else to turn.
"I don't know where to go, where to begin, where to start," sobbed Barton. "I just know they ruined my life. Ruined my life."
Barton says she is considering filing a lawsuit against the Nicholas County Sheriff's Department.
Video: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/200 ... royed.wave
