Oklahoma Truck Driver Dies in Pennsylvania Turnpike Accident

January 28th, 2010 |

BURLINGTON, PA – A truck driver fell into a creek and died after a truck accident Monday in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The truck accident happened on the South Berwick Turnpike/State Route 3009 in Burlington Township. The area is in the northeast section of the state near the New York border, 63 miles southwest from Binghamton, NY and 187 miles northwest of Philadelphia, PA.

Accident scene of semi truck that crashed over a bridge into Sugar Creek in Burlington Township, PA. Photo credit: Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY

The truck accident happened around 11:30 a.m. last Monday morning as 45 year old Terry L. Evans of Lindsey, Oklahoma, was driving his Peterbilt truck north on the South Berwick Turnpike. As Evans reached the area near Hanks Road he apparently was driving too fast and failed to successfully negotiate a left hand curve. He lost control of the truck on the curve and the tractor trailer rolled over and then crashed into the bridge over the Sugar Creek…

Mr. Evans, who reportedly was not wearing a seat belt, was pitched out of the truck’s cab and fell into Sugar Creek. The creek was swollen at the time due to melting snow and rain, and its swift currents quickly carried Mr. Evans downstream.
.

WATCH VIDEO

A passenger in the truck, Renalto Canales 44 years old of Toledo, Ohio, was able to escape from the Peterbilt truck and was free by the time the responding emergency workers arrived at the truck accident scene. Mr. Canales suffered moderate injuries in the truck collision and was taken to Robert Parker Hospital in Sayre, PA. Mr. Canales was reportedly wearing his seat belt.

Mr. Evans was not found at the truck accident scene and dive teams from Towanda and North Towanda were brought in to search for the truck driver. Searchers worked all day Monday at the truck crash site and along the stream and at the bridges along Route 6. Local firefighters from Troy, North Towanda, and Towanda searched along the accessible sides of the creek. Rescue boats were on hand but officials felt the creek too high and dangerous to launch the boats.

Helicopters from Guthrie and the Pennsylvania State Police were also brought in to do aerial searches over the crash site and down stream.

MAP

View Larger Map

Authorities suspended the search for the truck driver Monday night when it became too dark. The search began again Tuesday morning and at around 8:00 a.m. a man’s body was found on a creek island, caught on a tree. The island had been covered with water the day before, but the creek level had gone down overnight. The area was approximately a half mile downstream from the truck accident site.

By Tuesday afternoon authorities confirmed that the man was the missing truck driver, Terry Evans.

While searchers had been looking for the truck driver, other crews worked to clear the truck accident scene. A crane was brought in to lift the truck of the bridge and out of the creek, and debris was removed from the turnpike.

Caliber Casing Service of Hughesville, PA owned the truck Mr. Evans was driving. The truck is used to “pull casings out of wells,” according to a local Fire Chief.

At this time the truck accident remains under investigation and no charges have been brought. Officials do not believe weather was a factor, but they have not ruled out mechanical failures.