It’s believed the driver of a fully loaded TransX tractor trailer truck escaped serious injury when the unit went off Highway 97 on the dangerous West Bench corner about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
“The guys weren’t expecting him to be in very good shape when they arrived but he had extricated himself from the truck and was sitting on the curb,” said assistant chief Dennis Smith, of Penticton Fire Rescue. “The ambulance assessed him but I’m not sure if they took him to hospital or not.”
The truck was southbound at the time of the accident.
The passenger side of the cab, which had been uprighted by a tow truck, was crushed in and was sitting on the side of West Bench Hill Road.
The refrigerated trailer wound up partially over the embankment on the south side of the road, spilling some of the produce contents into the parking lot of Doc’s Golf Centre.
Southbound traffic coming into Penticton remained stop and go for hours after the accident as crews worked to clean up the scene.
According to Smith there was a small diesel spill from the truck which was looked after by his crews.
There have been a number of accidents on both sides of the Highway in that area involving tractor trailer vehicles, often traveling too fast. Signs are posted warning truck drivers about the accident potential.
Further information from Penticton RCMP was unavailable.