18-Wheeler Cab Left Dangling On Fort Worth Bridge

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - A motor vehicle accident involving an 18-wheeler truck left the big rig's front cab hanging over an elevated highway ramp early Thursday morning. The incident happened at about 4:00 a.m. on the ramp connecting westbound Interstate-20 to southbound Interstate-35W in Fort Worth.

Eight emergency units were dispatched to the scene to rescue three people from the crash. The driver of the 18-wheeler was eased out of the dangling cab -- about 100 feet above the ground --  at about 5:30 a.m. with the help of a fire truck ladder. He was taken away from the scene and treated for minor injuries. That driver is now expected to be just fine.

A second vehicle involved in this crash – a red sedan – was trapped underneath the 18-wheeler, pinned up against the side of the bridge. Two people were inside of that car. They too appear to be just fine, however, it took rescue crews over three hours to pull those people from the wreckage. They were transported to a local hospital.

The 18-wheeler was a tanker truck designed for transporting water. And, the tank was empty at the time of the crash. This certainly made the situation easier for emergency crews, as there were no concerns about hazardous materials associated with this crash.

The red sedan was removed from the scene shortly after the passengers were pulled away. Afterwards, a tow truck crane was able to pull the 18-wheeler back onto the bridge for removal.

As far as how this crash happened, authorities said that the driver of the red sedan swerved from the shoulder onto the road and into the 18-wheeler. Sgt. Pedro Criado with the Fort Worth Police Department told CBS 11 News that the driver of the red sedan has been cited for driving while intoxicated.

Traffic in this part of Fort Worth was diverted onto other roadways throughout the Thursday morning rush hour. The scene has since cleared and roadways are opened and running smoothly again.

TxDOT officials told CBS 11 Thursday afternoon the bridge is completely intact, but that guardrail repairs will have to take place.  They have scheduled the repairs for early Sunday morning, causing some brief delays.

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