10 Injured After Truck Overturns on Freeway

A roofing truck overturned on the Simi Valley Freeway on Tuesday morning, injuring all 10 occupants--including seven men riding in the back--and snarling rush-hour traffic, CHP officers said.

The victims were taken to San Fernando Valley hospitals with injuries ranging from moderate to serious.

The accident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. as the truck traveled westbound on the Simi Valley Freeway near Tampa Avenue.

The driver of the two-axle truck was believed to be traveling too fast for the flow of traffic and “apparently he didn’t know it until it was too late,” CHP Officer Doug Reynolds said.

As the truck approached slower traffic, the driver “applied his brakes and lost control of his truck.”

The truck went into a side skid, then rolled over on its side and slid about 35 to 40 feet, Reynolds said.

Several of the men who were riding in the back of the truck with roofing material and equipment were ejected, he said.

Two men in the cab and the driver of the truck were also injured.

No other vehicles were involved.

A 17-year-old man suffered head injuries and was listed in serious condition at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. A 44-year-old man was listed in serious condition with head, chest and spinal injuries, a hospital spokeswoman said.

A man in his 50s who was taken to Granada Hills Community Hospital with clavicle fractures was listed in stable condition. A man in his late 20s suffered minor neck discomfort, and was treated and released from Granada Hills Community Hospital, said Sarah L. Steinman, hospital spokeswoman.

Their names were not released.

Mario Reyes, 23, of La Habra had multiple minor injuries and was treated and released from Holy Cross Medical Center. Helberto Mesqueda of La Habra suffered multiple internal injuries, said Jane Cessar, spokeswoman for Holy Cross Medical Center.

Augustine Salazar, 17, and Antonio Esquivel, 36, were treated and released from West Valley Hospital and Health Center.

Two victims were treated at the scene and refused transportation, said Jim Wells of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The accident forced the closure of the right lane of the freeway for two hours and a SigAlert was issued, Reynolds said.