18 Wheeler Crashes into CSX Rail Bridge In Tonawanda, NY

August 30th, 2011 |

TONAWANDA, NY – A semi truck accident occurred on Friday, Aug 26, when a the driver of a tractor trailer struck the CSX rail bridge on Young Street in the city of Tonawanda and continued through to the I-290.

Map showing location of semi truck accident in Tonawanda, NY on August 26, 2011 where the driver of a tractor trailer collided with the rail bridge on Young Street, then continued on to I-290 where he was stopped by the police.

The impact of the crash sheered off a large piece of metal that remained stuck dangling from the bridge and blew off the rear doors to the trailer.

Tonawanda News reports:

The driver, who police did not immediately identify, was stopped on the Youngmann Expressway. His rig, or what was left of it, was deemed unsafe to drive off of the highway. Officers said a truck tower had been called to remove it.

Truck drivers strike the bridge, the clearance for which is 11-feet, 6-inches, somewhat regularly despite a plethora of signs warning them not to drive down Young Street as a cut-through to the Youngmann. Officials credit the phenomenon to GPS devices that mark it as the quickest route into or out of the city but don’t denote the potential hazard for semis.

Local resident, Jeremy Lepsch, who has seen plenty of crashes, commented on this particukar incident.

“It sounded like an explosion at first,” Lepsch said. “The house shook pretty good.”

“I saw the piece of metal hanging and the truck just kept going,” he said. “I can’t believe that.”

The incident remains under investigation at this time.

Truck Accident Lawyer News is a truck accident and personal injury blog that publishes up to date truck accident and truck legal news from across the United States. New York, due to its high population and vast highway system, has a high incident of 18 wheeler accidents. New York cities with a high incident of 18 wheeler accidents and vehicle collision resulting in severe personal injuries and even death include Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Rochester and Syracuse to name a few.