A truck operated by Surface Prep and Maintenance, of Reno, overturned on State Route 70 at a road construction site just outside of Portola at 10:46 a.m. Aug. 14. The driver, Jake Woodland, said the accident occurred due to unstable ground.
“I was emptying <the truck> and then it just went over. The earth gave way a little right there,” Woodland said.
Woodland managed to escape through the front windows with a scraped elbow and some shaken nerves, crediting his seat belt for his minor injuries. “I’m good, just a little shook up. Scared! First time it’s happened,” he said.
A tow truck from a wrecking company was scheduled to pull the tipped vehicle upright. An estimated gallon of hydraulic fluid leaked, according to a manager with Surface Prep who was on the scene. There was no diesel spill or release of toxins.
A California Highway Patrol officer responded to the accident but departed after confirming there were no ongoing hazards. Edward Gonzales was one of several U.S. Forest Service personnel present to ensure nothing ignited during the recovery process.
“We’re just here to make sure nothing catches fire when the wrecking truck pulls it upright,” Gonzales said.
The incident is being classified as an industrial accident, the Surface Prep manager said.
