A big rig driver died Wednesday morning after the truck left eastbound Interstate 80 and crashed into a fence near the junction with State Route 89, east of Donner Lake in Truckee, California. The crash happened around 9:20 a.m. and forced crews to close a lane of eastbound I-80 for hours while they worked the scene. A passenger riding in the truck’s cab suffered minor injuries and was treated for the crash. The California Highway Patrol’s Truckee office said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
According to KTVN, the semi-truck was traveling east on Interstate 80 when it left the roadway and struck a fence, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. KTVN reported that Lane 2 of eastbound I-80 was blocked following the crash, with traffic moving slowly through the remaining lane and no estimated reopening time given as of mid-morning. The outlet also reported that a passenger riding with the driver was treated for minor injuries. CHP has not yet said what caused the truck to leave the highway.
