TRUCK ACCIDENT CLOSES ROUTE 22 IN AUSTERLITZ, NY. DRIVER OF A TRACTOR TRAILER ACTED TO AVOID A DEER IN THE ROAD ON ROUTE 22, CAUSING THE TRAILER TO DISCONNECT FROM THE CAB.

TRUCK ACCIDENT CLOSES ROUTE 22 IN AUSTERLITZ, NY.  DRIVER OF A TRACTOR TRAILER ACTED TO AVOID A DEER IN THE ROAD ON ROUTE 22, CAUSING THE TRAILER TO DISCONNECT FROM THE CAB.

Jarimia Leon was hauling a concrete pool frame south on Route 22 when the truck began to bounce causing the tractor to become disconnected from its load. The tractor of the concrete piece has been moved to the back of the load to help prevent it from rolling downhill. A wrecker from Roberts in Albany stands ready at the left to assist.

Posted: Friday, January 9, 2015 12:00 am

By Arthur Cusano
Columbia-Greene Media | 0 comments

AUSTERLITZ — An accident involving a tractor trailer and a concrete pool piece slowed traffic on Route 22 in Austerlitz for almost three hours Thursday afternoon.

The accident occurred at approximately 4:34 p.m. when the driver of a tractor trailer pulling a concrete roof frame for a pool on wheels acted to avoid a deer in the road on Route 22 at Fog Hill Road, said Columbia County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Wayne Lopez.

“He pushed in the clutch and when he took the clutch off, the truck started hopping,” Lopez said.

The hopping caused the pool roof frame to become disconnected from the truck.

The driver of the truck, Jarimia Leon, 30, of Big Lake, Minnesota, was unharmed. The truck he was driving, owned by Lefebvre & Sons of Elk River, Minnesota, sustained no damage, Lopez said.

One side of the roadway was opened to traffic while Department of Transportation investigators worked at the scene. A crane was brought in to lift the frame pieces back on the truck, Lopez said.

The road was completely reopened at 6:50 p.m., according to Columbia County 911.

FOG AND ICY ROAD CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTES TO DEADLY CRASH ON I-82 IN SELAH, WASHINGTON STATE. DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SLOW DOWN. ALSO, THE DRIVERS NEED TO STAY INSIDE THEIR VEHICLES.

FOG AND ICY ROAD CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTES TO DEADLY CRASH ON I-82 IN SELAH, WASHINGTON STATE.  DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SLOW DOWN.  ALSO, THE DRIVERS NEED TO STAY INSIDE THEIR VEHICLES.

The Washington State Patrol investigates an accident in which a woman was killed and her baby left in critical condition following a chain-reaction crash in foggy weather on I-82 north of Selah, Wash. Jan. 8, 2015. (GORDON KING/Yakima Herald-Republic)

January 8, 2015

SELAH — A tragic multiple-vehicle collision on Interstate 82 Thursday morning took the life of a 36-year-old Yakima woman but spared her young son, whom she was holding in her arms.

The Washington State Patrol said Antonia A. Vazquez Ruiz was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which may have involved seven or more vehicles near the exit for the Yakima Training Center. Vazquez Ruiz’s son, 17-month-old Giovanni Vazquez, did not suffer serious injuries, according to Lt. Ken Wade.

“Memorial (Hospital) told us that he was released earlier today to his aunt and he’s fine,” Wade said. “It’s very fortunate; he was apparently in his mother’s arms when she was struck.”

The freezing-fog conditions at the time of the accident are expected to continue this morning.

The pileup began at 6 a.m. when an unnamed driver hit a semi-truck, then spun into a guard rail, Wade said. That triggered a series of collisions on the slippery road at a time when visibility was poor.

At some point during the collisions, Vazquez Ruiz climbed out of her 1999 Volkswagen Beetle, which was disabled in the traffic lanes, Wade said, and a 2005 Dodge Ram driven by Richard Beard, 60, of Wapato struck either Vazquez Ruiz or her car. Exactly what happened remains under investigation.

Westbound lanes were closed between the exit for the Army’s training center and Ellensburg. Both lanes reopened about 10:35 a.m.

The total number of vehicles involved remains unknown, Wade said, because some drivers might have driven from the scene.

The semi-truck initially struck from behind by the driver that triggered the accident didn’t stop. Wade said the driver may not have realized the trailer had been hit.

The State Patrol is asking that anyone who witnessed the accident call 509-575-2320, ext. 7.

The heavy fog and near-freezing temperatures caused numerous minor car accidents across Yakima County, said John Durand, the Yakima County sheriff’s chief criminal deputy.

The forecast calls for similar conditions to last through about noon today. The National Weather Service warns that visibility in the region may be less than a quarter of a mile and roads are likely to be icy in dense patches of fog.

Durand said 14 accidents had been reported to the sheriff’s office on Wednesday and another 10 Thursday morning.

“People just need to be aware and slow down,” Durand said. “Especially with the temperatures the way they are, the fog freezes to the road and it’s worse than ice in that way, because you can’t see it.”

Like many others, I drive this road regularly, and am astounded by the speed at which drivers are comfortable with in the winter fog. Typical terrible conditions this morning, visibility was variable from 50' to 400' all the way between Ellensburg and Yakima. I Was passed regularly by people doing 70 miles an hour or better. 70mph is 100' per second. Today's news is a tragic reminder that we all need to slow down. And AWD and 4wd don't help you to stop any faster.

DRIVER OF SUV SLAMS INTO FIVE VEHICLES STUCK IN TRAFFIC IN I-45 NORTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

DRIVER OF SUV SLAMS INTO FIVE VEHICLES STUCK IN TRAFFIC IN I-45 NORTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

HOUSTON (KTRK) --

A wild crash along the North Freeway forced firefighters to cut a trapped woman out of her Toyota Corolla. The accident involved 5 vehicles and an 18-wheeler.
Witnesses told Eyewitness News around 11:30pm last night, another crash had left them stuck in traffic along I-45 North. Authorities said traffic was backed up from West Mount Houston for about a mile to Gulf Bank Road.
According to investigators, a man driving a Suburban at a high rate of speed then slammed into car after car. Adrienne Keeling told us she didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.
"Came and hit me when I was in a standstill. I went across the freeway and he hit four more cars," said Keeling. "There was another lady, not sure if they got her yer or if she's alive."
Firefighters did rescue the trapped woman. She suffered just minor injuries.
The driver of the Suburban, who identified himself as Jose Carlos, said he's not sure what took place.
"I'll completely admit, completely admit ... I'll take full responsibility of what I did as a human being," said the man. "I ran into a car. Other that that, I don't know what happened."
Everyone else involved in the crash walked away with minor injuries.

TWO 18-WHEELER WRECK SHUTS DOWN PARTS OF I-20 IN GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS

TWO 18-WHEELER WRECK SHUTS DOWN PARTS OF I-20 IN GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS

Posted: Jan 09, 2015 6:56 AM EST Updated: Jan 09, 2015 7:26 AM EST

By Kerri Compton

GREGG COUNTY, TX (KLTV) -  Emergency crews are on the scene of a wreck involving two 18-wheelers that shut down parts of the interstate in Gregg County early Friday morning.

According to authorities, the accident happened just after 1 a.m., on I-20 westbound at mile marker 583 near Highway 135. Traffic is being rerouted off onto Highway 42. 

Authorities have not released the cause of the crash or if there were any injuries at this time, but crews are working to clean up the debris. No word on when the lanes will be cleared and re-opened. Use Highway 80 or Highway 31 as alternate routes to avoid delays.

A PERSON WAS KILLED WHEN A VAN CAUGHT FIRE AND COLLIDED WITH AN 18-WHEELER TRACTOR TRAILER IN PA. LEHIGH VALLEY CORONER CALLED TO I-78 CRASH; TRAFFIC DETOURED TO RT 22.

A PERSON WAS KILLED WHEN A VAN CAUGHT FIRE AND COLLIDED WITH AN 18-WHEELER TRACTOR TRAILER IN PA. LEHIGH VALLEY CORONER CALLED TO I-78 CRASH; TRAFFIC DETOURED TO RT 22.

WILLIAMS TWP., Pa. - At least one person was killed Friday morning in an accident involving a tractor trailer on Interstate 78 in Northampton County. The accident happened around 5:15 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-78 near mile marker 72 approaching Route 33 in Williams Township.

A van caught fire and hit an 18-wheeler, which also caught fire.

There's no word on what may have caused the crash. I-78 is closed between the state line and Lower Saucon Township. Traffic is being rerouted to Exit 3, Alpha/Phillipsburg onto Route 22. Traffic is backed up for several miles.