Investigation continues in I-5 crash

Investigation continues in I-5 crash

Posted on Oct 17, 2007 in News & Views by PMC Comments Off

The investigation continues into Friday’s 31 big rig crash in Southern California. And more information is becoming available.

Investigators believe the catalyst for the crash was a big rig owned by Saia Freight Lines of Houma Louisiana, and LTL carrier.

Sources say the Saia driver lost control outside the tunnel, hitting the guardrail with an impact that threw the engine block into the northbound lanes. The resulting slow downs triggered the tragedy in the tunnel.

One of the rumors floating around the anti immigrant websites and on overnight trucking radio that the nine missing drivers that disappeared could “possibly” be illegal’s driving big rigs has been discounted by the CHP

CHP officials, meanwhile, sought to clarify the status of a number of truck drivers involved in the wreck whom officials had earlier suggested were missing.

Garrett, the CHP spokesman, said investigators have contacted “most, if not all” of the drivers. But they have yet to match some of the drivers to trucks that were badly burned in the crash.

“Some of these vehicles were melted down to the ground, so it takes time,” Garrett said. “But it’s not as if these people have vanished into thin air. That was a miscommunication.”

And it is with 100% certainty that we can discount the rumors that the Saia driver was an illegal.

You can read the entire story here on the LA Times website

Tags: accident investigations, CHP, LTL freight