August 16th, 2010 | 
Author: SOUTHBURY, CT – A truck driver reportedly fell asleep Monday morning, August 2, and crashed his semi trailer truck on a highway in New Haven County, Connecticut. The trailer of the truck was filled with a cargo of candy when it overturned and spilled its load onto Interstate 84 near the city of Southbury, CT, impacting traffic flow for several hours. The accident area is in the southwest section of the state about 30 miles north of Bridgeport, CT and about 59 miles southeast of Poughkeepsie, New York.
The impact of the truck accident broke the trailer on the semi truck open and the cargo of candy spilled out onto the highway. Officers with the Connecticut State Police shut down the interstate surrounding the accident site while highway crews worked to clear the candy off the road.
At around 7:00 a.m. Monday morning 38 year old Ronald Alvarez of Mountaintop, Pennsylvania was driving a semi trailer truck east on Interstate 84 through New Haven County, CT. The trailer of the truck was loaded with crates of candy, mainly numerous boxes of M&M and other assorted candies made by Mars Company based in Hackettstown, New Jersey.
As the semi trailer truck traveled through the area near the city of Southbury, CT near Exit 14 on the interstate the driver reportedly became drowsy and allegedly fell asleep at the wheel. Once asleep he lost control of the 18 wheeler truck and the semi trailer flipped over onto its right side landing across eastbound traffic lanes on I-84.
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No other vehicles were involved in the truck accident.
State police and emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the rollover truck accident. The driver of the semi truck, Mr. Alvarez, sustained minor injuries in the rollover. He was treated and stabilized at the scene before being transported to Waterbury Hospital.
The impact of the truck accident broke the trailer on the semi truck open and the cargo of candy spilled out onto the highway. A significant amount of the candy came out of its packaging and landed on the road surface creating a potentially dangerous situation for drivers.
Officers with the Connecticut State Police shut down the interstate surround the accident site while highway crews worked to clear the candy off the road. They also had to off load the candy that was still in the trailer into a new truck before attempting to get the flipped semi trailer back on its wheels and off the interstate. According to authorities the entire cargo of candy was condemned and would be destroyed.
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The semi trailer also spilled some diesel fuel during the truck accident and haz-mat workers were cleaning the gas off the interstate.
The section of I-84 around the truck accident scene would be closed for several hours with officers diverting traffic around the site. One lane of traffic was opened at noon on Monday and CSP expected the interstate would be cleared and all lanes open sometime around 5:00 p.m. Monday evening.
The CT State Department of Transportation was investigating the truck accident along with the State Police and Commercial Vehicle Accident Investigation Unit. Preliminary findings point to the truck driver falling asleep at the wheel, but it is not known if authorities suspect drugs or alcohol use as factors in the rollover.
No charges have been made at this time but are expected at the conclusion of the truck accident.
For more information about Connecticut trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact a nationwide truck accident attorney at Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a CT truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.
Posted in Connecticut Truck Accidents | 
Tags: Connecticut Tractor Trailer Lawyer, Tractor Trailer Lawyer