California

Dump Truck Slams Into Overpass on Highway 101 in Palo Alto After Driver Forgets to Lower Dump Bed

The impact of the crash was so severe that the dump truck's roughly 20-foot-long bed was completely severed from the 30-foot-long truck, according to the CHP

A dump truck slammed into an overpass on southbound Highway 101 in Palo Alto late Thursday night, damaging the structure and creating a traffic backup on the freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The 2017 Peterbilt dump truck hit the overpass at the Embarcadero Road exit, creating a 27-foot-long crack in the structure, according to the CHP. All lanes reopened before 6 p.m. Friday.

The impact of the crash was so severe that the dump truck's roughly 20-foot-long bed was completely severed from the 30-foot-long truck, according to the CHP.

Dump Truck's Box Pinned Against Overpass

CHP officials determined that the driver, who was later identified as 24-year-old Sukhpal Singh of Fremont, forgot to lower the dump bed after leaving a nearby construction site.

A Caltrans engineer from Sacramento was called in to assist local engineers with assessing the damage and formulating a solution.

Singh was transported to a nearby hospital after hitting his face on the steering wheel during the crash, according to the CHP. Alcohol or drugs did not play a role in the crash.

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