LUCERNE — The driver of a big rig truck towing corrugated steel lost control and his trailer crashed into a powerpole and damaged the road surface Monday.
The driver was headed to Eureka from Sacramento on Highway 20 in Lucerne at around noon. When he entered a curve near 6th Avenue, the trailer overturned and crashed into a power pole and street sign, damaging the road surface as well.
The truck and trailer came to rest on its right side, partially blocking traffic on the westbound lane of the highway. The driver sustained a cut to the top of his head but was otherwise uninjured. He was treated at the scene. The power pole had major damage and an extended power outage in the immediate area resulted.
Northshore Fire Protection District personnel and California Highway Patrol (CHP) units set up a detour of the scene with help from a passing Fish and Game unit.
An extended closure of the roadway by the CHP and Caltrans was necessary to remove the big rig from the scene and for emergency repairs to the road surface. The detour was still in place early Tuesday. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
