Accident Damages Freeway, May Clog Monday Rush Hour

A big rig hauling 26 tons of coiled steel overturned Saturday and caused structural damage to a freeway interchange that could remain closed through at least Monday morning’s rush hour, the California Highway Patrol said.

No one was injured, but the noontime accident left deep holes in the pavement of the raised connecting road from the eastbound Riverside Freeway to the northbound Orange Freeway, said CHP spokeswoman Angel Johnson.

“That overpass is closed until further notice,” Johnson said.

The interchange is one of the busiest in the country--an estimated 421,000 motorists use the roadway each day. The closure could make Monday morning’s commute a nightmare, Johnson said.

“Just expect the worst,” another CHP spokesman added.

Johnson said that a team from the state Department of Transportation was at the scene Saturday setting up detours. Throughout the day, eastbound drivers on the Riverside Freeway who wanted to head north were directed to the southbound Orange Freeway transition to Lincoln Avenue, Johnson said. From there, motorists were directed to re-enter the northbound side of the freeway.

“It looks like we are going to be here for a while,” said Ed Burton, a Caltrans maintenance supervisor who was part of the inspection team called to determine the extent of structural damage to the overpass.

Saturday’s accident occurred when Javier Cabral, 43, of Torrance was hauling the heavy load of steel from Wilmington to a wheel fabrication plant in Brea and tried to maneuver his truck along the banked overpass at 45 m.p.h., Johnson said.

Cabral lost control, Johnson said, and the truck flipped over on its right side, skidding into the railing. Meanwhile, the two rolls of steel, weighing about 26,000 pounds each, broke loose from the flatbed and slammed onto the overpass, ripping two large holes in the concrete.

Johnson said that Caltrans workers went to the scene to repair the holes and bent railings.

Cabral, who was shaken but otherwise unhurt, paced back and forth at the scene. His son, Javier Cabral Jr., was riding with his father and also escaped injury.

“I felt I was going to die,” the elder Cabral said. “I just felt my truck was going over and that was it. I didn’t have time to be scared.”

The right side of Cabral’s truck was severely damaged, Johnson said. “They were very, very lucky indeed,” Johnson said.

Cabral was not cited, Johnson said. The investigation is continuing.

Paul Lamotte, a Caltrans bridge maintenance engineer, said that the rolls of steel gouged holes 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep in the pavement. Workers planned to install steel plates over the holes and bolt them to the concrete. The plates will remain on the roadway until Caltrans can repave it.

Traffic was stopped for only a short while after the accident, Johnson said, adding that by mid-afternoon, motorists were experiencing “slow-and-go.” Much of the slowing was due to curiosity as motorists watched the activity on the closed overpass.