Semi Overturns In Highway 99 Crash Near Lodi; Driver Walks Away
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTT (CBS13) - A big rig overturned and snarled traffic on Highway 99 near Lodi Friday morning.
The truck was traveling on southbound 99 when the driver lost control and it went over the island and ended up overturned on the shoulder of the road.
Frank Turpen saw the whole accident happen while he was out riding his horse.
"Never slowed down, just kept going," he said.
Frank then reacted.
"I tied up the horse and ran over to see if she needed help," he said.
The California Highway Patrol told CBS13 the female driver was eating a sandwich when all of a sudden she blacked out.
"Her story pretty much checks out," Sgt. Aaron Rohner said.
The CHP said she went from eating a sandwich to driving on top of an island, crossing the on-ramp at Jahant Road just off Highway 99, then crashing into a fence and tipping over.
"That kind of goes towards distracted driving," Rohner said of eating and driving. "That's discouraged. If anyone out there is either sleepy or hungry, driving is not the time to take care of that. You need to pull off the freeway, or any roadway for that matter."
Frank, who was drinking coffee just yards way, couldn't believe the woman driving walked away.
"I've seen a few wrecks, but this is one of the worst I've seen," he said. "I'm just surprised nobody was hurt."
The CHP said the driver just complained of a little bit of pain and that she is lucky to walk away from this accident.
