Big rig driver dozes off, plows into 12 parked vehicles in Long Beach, police say
When it comes to on-street parking, every space is a precious commodity in some parts of Southern California. But for one Long Beach neighborhood Thursday morning, a spot by the curb became a liability when an exhausted big rig driver fell asleep and plowed into a line of parked vehicles, authorities said.
“I heard a lot of noise outside and just thought someone was partying or something,” resident Dennis Carter told KTLA-TV. “I’m not exactly sure what to do yet.”
News outlets showed the aftermath from the 1 a.m. wreck: The driver’s side of about a dozen sedans, minivans and SUVs were crunched, sheared off or otherwise mangled by the big rig. Carter’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle had its rear-end smashed in.
Police said the driver fell asleep in the 3300 block of Santa Fe Avenue – across from an industrial yard – then hit the cars. He’s been a tractor-trailer driver for four years, was working a split shift and was on his way to pick up a trailer when he dozed off, KTLA reported.
Police said neither drugs or alcohol appeared to be a factor in the incident and no arrests have been made. Residents were spending Thursday morning figuring out what to do with their mangled vehicles.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
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