Cement truck overturns closing road for hours

Elia Powers

An overloaded cement truck crashed into a sidewalk on a hilly road

Friday morning, injuring the driver and shutting down the street for

hours.

The accident occurred near the intersection of Newport Coast Drive

and Ridge Park Road, in the vicinity of Newport Coast Elementary

School and also near two other crashes this year.

Newport Beach traffic investigator Gerry White said the truck was

17,000 pounds over the legal limit at the time of the crash.

“We are looking into whether speed was a factor and whether there

were other operational errors,” White said.

According to witnesses, the cement truck driver was traveling

westbound and downhill on Ridge Park Road shortly before 11 a.m. when

his brakes failed.

Witnesses said the driver honked his horn as he approached

crossing traffic and avoided a collision, even as he ran through a

red light, White said.

The truck crashed into a traffic light pole and rolled for about

75 feet, landing on its side a few feet from a canyon, witnesses

said.

Investigators said they weren’t sure where the truck was intending

to travel. The name of the driver was not released, and White said an

investigation and full report is pending.

The driver suffered cuts to his arm and bruises to his head but

was conscious when removed from the truck, White said. He was taken

to Hoag Hospital.

“You can build up a lot of speed coming down over there,” said

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Ron Vallercamp, pointing to the hill where

the truck lost control. “He’s lucky to get out of the situation the

way he did.”

Newport Beach Fire Department officials lifted the truck from the

sidewalk, which buckled under the pressure of the overloaded vehicle.

One lane of Ridge Park Road was closed following the crash.