IRVINE : Spilled Oranges Put Squeeze on Drivers
A truckload of oranges spilled onto the Santa Ana Freeway on Thursday morning, snarling northbound traffic through Irvine for more than an hour.
No injuries were reported in the 11:05 a.m. incident, which left oranges strewn over all three lanes near the Jeffrey Road exit.
The accident occurred when a diesel truck pulling a tandem trailer filled with oranges attempted to enter the freeway from Jeffrey Road, California Highway Patrol Officer Angel Johnson said.
As the truck merged onto the freeway in front of a car, a motor home was also attempting to move into the slow lane.
The vehicles maneuvered wildly to avoid colliding.
The motor home and the car regained control and continued on the freeway, but the produce truck veered to the right, running over a low, concrete wall and blowing out its right front tire.
The incident rocked the trailer beds, sending oranges flying over the freeway. Traffic was slowed for more than an hour while Caltrans workers cleaned up the mess.
No citations were issued, Johnson said.
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