Truck Accidents 360 Newswire

GILROY, CA – A truck driver died early Friday morning, August 27, after his semi trailer truck crashed on a highway in the San Jose metro region in Santa Clara County, California. The fatal collision occurred just south of the city of Gilroy, on U.S. Highway 101 between Highway 25 and Betabel Road. The accident area is in the southwest section of the state about 120 miles west of Fresno, CA and about 153 miles north of San Luis Obispo, CA.

At around midnight Friday an unidentified 65 year old truck driver from San Leandro, CA was driving a 2005 International tractor trailer truck north on Highway 101 through Santa Clara County, CA. The truck driver had picked up a cargo of broccoli in Salinas, CA and was transporting the trailer load north to Oakland, CA. The total weight of the trailer and the broccoli was believed to be about 80,000 pounds.

As the truck driver was going over the Sargent Road Overpass just north of the Pajaro River he attempted to make a maneuver and lost control of the 18 wheeler truck.

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According to authorities the trailer truck went off the highway onto the right shoulder and the driver may have overcorrected as he pulled the tractor trailer back onto the road. The semi truck careened across the highway and crashed into the metal guardrail running along the east side of the highway. The semi truck apparently went off balance and flipped onto its side and the trailer became separated from the cab. The trailer truck finally came to a rest across both of the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101.

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No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.

California Highway Patrol officers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the truck accident. Unfortunately, the truck driver suffered fatal injuries in the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene.

CHP officers shut down a section of north U.S. Highway 101 while highway crews from Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) reported to the scene of the deadly collision to clear the traffic lanes. A trailer truck was brought to the truck accident site and the load of broccoli was offloaded from the disabled truck onto the second semi trailer. It would take three heavy duty tow trucks to get the wrecked trailer truck back up on its wheels. Once upright the damaged tractor trailer was removed from the highway.

Caltrans crews also worked to replace the metal guardrail that had been damaged in the truck accident. Workers used acetylene torches to cut off the section of crumpled guardrail so a new section could be installed.

The highway closures lasted for more than 10 hours after the truck accident causing delays in the Friday morning rush hour. Drivers were rerouted off U.S. Highway 101 around the disabled trailer truck while the highway crews worked and investigators conducted a reconstruction. Traffic was directed to leave Highway 101 at Highway 156 however those who did not take the detour found themselves stuck in jams that lasted up to nine hours. One of the highway’s northbound lanes was opened around 9:30 a.m. Friday morning and both lanes were finally opened at around 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon.

At this time officers have not determined the exact reason the truck driver lost control of the semi trailer and crashed into the guardrail. Alcohol may have been a factor but it will be several weeks before toxicology reports are completed. No charges have been made at this time and the truck accident remains under investigation.

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