Large trucks hauling cement can be particularly dangerous. Once mixed, these vehicles must make it to their destination within a set amount of time or risk the entire load hardening inside the truck. Because of the weight of the materials inside, these trucks can weigh several tons.
A rollover crash involving one of these large trucks and another vehicle along Interstate 10 just south of Phoenix early Monday morning left the highway closed for several hours. The highway did not reopen again until the evening.
ABC 15 in Phoenix reports that the crash happened at approximately 5:30 a.m. when a large cement truck rolled over near the Gila River Bridge between Riggs Road and the Maricopa – Pinal County line in the southbound lanes of Interstate 10.
According to a statement issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), the driver of the cement truck was seriously injured in the crash. Officials have not released the truck driver’s identity at this time.
Investigators for Arizona DPS and the Arizona Department of Transportation were at the crash site looking for a possible cause of the crash. Because of the abnormality of the accident, as it is not common for a cement truck to be involved in a rollover crash, all possible causes are being explored. This includes, but is not limited to, speed.
The driver of an SUV believed to have been involved in the accident is also under investigation for possible impairment by drugs or alcohol.
