Big-Rig Wreck Closes Freeway for 4 Hours
A fiery big-rig accident closed both sides of the Santa Ana Freeway for four hours and caused a commuter nightmare Thursday morning on one of Southern California’s busiest freeways.
The driver--Andre Piper, 27, of Springfield, Mo.--suffered minor injuries in the 1:51 a.m. accident, California Highway Patrol Officer Spencer Ammons said. Piper was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, Ammons said.
The truck was headed north when it veered across several lanes, clipping a Honda and rolling over, Ammons said. The driver of the Honda was unhurt.
The tractor part of the big-rig went up in flames, and one of its diesel tanks ended up in the southbound lanes, where it leaked about 100 gallons of fuel, Ammons said.
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