Truck Collision Injures 1 Driver, Causes Fuel Spill

Two wide utility trucks collided and overturned Tuesday, seriously injuring one driver and releasing potentially hazardous fuels.

A driver in a moving truck was traveling west on Orangewood Avenue at around 11 a.m. when a flatbed truck, going east on Orangewood, turned left to Markon Avenue. The moving truck broadsided the flatbed on the right side, crushing the passenger compartment where a 28-year-old man was sitting, Garden Grove police officials said.

The fender and steering wheel of the moving truck curled into its passenger area, trapping the driver inside.

The accident caused about 30 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel to spill from the flatbed truck.

“If there was light or heat that could have ignited a fire, we would have had a really serious scene,” Fire Capt. Mike Bublitz said.

Firefighters tore the roof and steering wheel from the moving truck to free the driver.

He was was airlifted to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, where he was treated for a broken forearm, leg injuries and possible abdominal trauma. He was listed in stable condition.

The two men in the flatbed truck were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Authorities said they are still investigating the cause of the accident and would not release the men’s identities Tuesday evening.