The driver of a semi tractor-trailer died this past Monday. Dale Eugene Thompson of Hazelton, Idaho, lost control of his truck and crashed through a guard rail in Davis County, Utah. The truck fell 50 feet from a freeway overpass onto the railroad tracks below, killing Mr. Thompson instantly. He was 62 years old.
Thompson was hauling a load of hay when he lost control of the vehicle around 12:05 pm according to the Utah Highway Patrol. He had been traveling southbound on I-15, and lost control on the connecting ramp between I-15 and I-215 southbound, sending the truck out of control over the guard rail.
The Utah Highway Patrol said the trucking accident is still under investigation, and have not commented as to whether tiredness or alcohol intoxication may have been involved in the accident. No one else was hurt in the crash, although the crash would clearly have hampered railway traffic until the vehicle and debris were removed from the accident site.
This kind of accident is tragic and illustrates the difficulty that semi truck drivers can have in keeping their vehicles under proper control. Sharp turns, unexpected winds or poor road conditions can all contribute to hampering any driver’s control over his or her vehicle, and the effects are much more extreme for semi drivers due to the huge vehicles they must operate.
The investigation has not yet reported how much the damage done to the guard rail or the railroad tracks will cost, or how long it will take to repair. Drivers using this ramp from I-15 to 215 are urged to use caution when making their way around the area for several days.
This accident points out how drivers must exercise caution around semi trucks. These large vehicles can unexpectedly go off course for any number of reasons, potentially endangering the lives of all other drivers and passengers around them.
