Big-rig takes out Hemet power pole and fence, overturns
HEMET — No injuries were reported after the driver of a tractor-trailer dump combo lost control of his vehicle and mowed down a power pole and section of fence, before the big-rig overturned and spilled its load of sand, Wednesday, July 3. Yesterday evening’s crash happened in Hemet on West Florida Ave., just west of Warren Rd., on the city’s west end.
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City of Hemet Police and Fire Departments, along with CHP, Riverside Sheriff’s Department, and AMR, were dispatched to the scene around 6:30 p.m., after receiving multiple reports of a Robertson’s Ready Mix dump truck pulling a second dump trailer hit a power pole and overturned along the westbound side of Florida Ave. 911 callers also reported the two trailers had spilled their load and that the driver was trapped inside the overturned big-rig.
A Hemet police officer arrived at the scene less than two minutes after the dispatched call and reported finding the shaken, but uninjured driver outside the truck. Within minutes, officials requested additional resources to the scene, including HazMat responders, due to diesel fuel and other fluids that were leaking from the wrecked and overturned big-rig.
A Robertson’s Ready Mix tractor trailer dump combo spilled its load after overturning on W. Florida Ave, just west of Warren Rd. yesterday evening. Sergio Rodriguez/Hemet Valley Incidents photo
While officials worked at the scene they initially called for the full closure of Florida Ave., however one eastbound lane was later opened as officials worked to clean up the truck’s spilled load.
A big-rig wrecker eventually arrived at the scene to right the overturned rig and trailer back onto its wheels so the heavily damaged vehicle could be towed from the location.
SoCal Edison officials were later summoned to the scene to replace the damaged power pole and assess potential damage to the overhead power lines.
The driver told officers and witnesses he was traveling west on Florida Ave. when the lane he was in merged into the other lanes of traffic. For reasons yet to be determined, the driver was not able to merge into the correct lane in time and the tractor trailer’s rear wheels ran into a small ditch that runs adjacent the roadway.
Despite trying to regain control, the ditch and uneven roadway pulled the big-rig further from the roadway and the truck plowed through a power pole, shearing the pole in half.
The big-rig and its trailer were heavily damaged after mowing down a power pole and section of fence before overturning. Sergio Rodriguez/Hemet Valley Incidents photo
Unable to stop, the out of control big-rig rolled onto its passenger side, causing the truck to take out a section of fence before it came to rest along the side of the roadway.
The driver, who said he was wearing his safety belt when the crash happened, was checked out at the scene by paramedics, but declined further treatment. No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.
Hemet PD is investigating the cause of the crash and their investigation is ongoing.
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Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.
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