Semi Truck Causes Accident on California Highway Near Grapevine

July 19th, 2010 |

GRAPEVINE, CA – An out of control semi trailer truck caused a truck accident Saturday morning, July 3, on a highway in Kern County, California. The multi vehicle collision occurred on the Interstate 5 near the unincorporated community of Grapevine, CA, about 7 miles north of the town of Lebec, CA. The truck accident area is in the southwest section of the state about 80 miles north of Los Angeles and about 300 miles southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Emergency personnel responded to the truck accident and treated the truck driver and the driver of the Honda, Mr. Ash, for minor injuries.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning, 47 year old Guillermo Martinez of Hialeah, Florida was driving a 2000 Freightliner semi truck north on Interstate 5 in Kern County, CA. As the truck driver was traveling down the Grapevine Pass his brakes caught on fire and he lost control of the 18 wheeler truck. As the trailer truck descended the hill it picked up speed and was believed to be traveling at about 85 MPH.

California Highway Patrol was alerted to the runaway semi truck and took actions to prevent accidents. A CHP patrol car was positioned in the path of the out of control trailer truck in an attempt to slow the rig. The officer got out of the car and began to divert traffic out of the northbound lane.
The speeding semi truck crashed into the back section of the CHP vehicle, pushing the patrol car into a 2009 Honda Pilot driven by 66 year old Albert Ash of Eureka, CA. The Honda crossed over all lanes of the interstate and flipped over on the right shoulder of the highway. The semi hit the CHP car again and the force of the truck accident sent the patrol vehicle across the interstate. The cruiser slammed into the concrete center divider where it finally came to a stop.

CHP shut down a section of I-5 surrounding the truck accident scene while crews cleared debris from the roadway and tow trucks were brought in to remove the CHP cruiser and Honda.

After colliding with the CHP car the Freightliner tractor trailer continued in the northbound lanes of I-5 for about another mile. The truck driver, Mr. Martinez, attempted to slow the out of control semi trailer and bring it to a stop. However, when he attempted a turning movement he flipped the semi truck and it rolled over onto its side on the right shoulder of the interstate.

Emergency personnel responded to the truck accident and treated the truck driver and the driver of the Honda, Mr. Ash, for minor injuries. A CHP officer sustained moderate injuries in the incident and all three were transported to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, CA.

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CHP shut down a section of I-5 surrounding the truck accident scene while crews cleared debris from the roadway and tow trucks were brought in to remove the damaged CHP cruiser and the Honda Pilot. Another team worked to upright the overturned Freightliner semi and to remove it from the site.

The impact of the truck accident also damaged a fuel tank and a Haz-Mat team from Caltrans was there to clean up the spilled diesel fuel.
All northbound lanes reopened at about 12:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

At this time non charges have been brought pending the completion of the truck accident investigation.

For more information about California trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact nationwide truck accident lawyers Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a CA truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.