Tanker Truck Crash Shuts Down Lakeville Highway
SONOMA COUNTY (CBS SF) -- A multi-vehicle collision Wednesday left pears scattered across the Lakeville Highway and a tanker truck leaking a hot asphalt mixture into a field and drainage ditch, authorities said.
CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said the collision between a truck carrying large crates of pears, a double trailer tanker truck and a Land Rover took place just before noon on Lakeview Highway near Highway 37 in Sonoma County.
A vehicle crossed over the double lane, forcing the tanker truck to swerve in the northbound lanes. The pear truck attempted to avoid a collision with the tanker truck, but spilled part of its load.
A Land Rover then crashed into the pear crates, injuring its occupants inside. Barclay said the tanker truck veered of the highway and one of its tanks -- carrying the liquid asphalt mixture -- overturned and began spilling into a field and roadside ditch.
Barclay said a hazmat team had been called to clean up the 2,000 gallons that had spilled out of the tank.
The accident was under investigation and the highway was expected to be closed for several hours as the asphalt mixture and pears are cleaned up.