Dump Truck Trapped in Crossing

Christina Cole

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Officials with the state Dept. of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol are pleading with drivers to abide by vehicle length restrictions on Highway 140 after a dump truck gets stuck on a bridge.

A driver for Burson-based C&D Trucking was hauling loads of pea gravel to Yosemite National Park at around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. On the second detour bridge, one of the wheels caught the guardrail, which lead to a break in the bracket and putting more weight on the axle, said Sergeant Bryan Duncan.

The road was closed for approximately 20 minutes before other dump trucks were able to remove the load and free the truck.

Nearby signs note that vehicles crossing the bridge must be less than 28 feet long, Duncan said. The truck and trailer stretched about twice as long as the bridge limit, he said. Without the trailer, the truck was just under the limit. An accident report was being filed, which likely will include fines against the driver, he said.

Chuck Weimer, owner of C&D Trucking, said it was his company's first trip up Highway 140 to Yosemite since the rock slide. The driver didn't notice the signs along the road, he said. "There was no damage to the bridge whatsoever," he said, adding that he was unaware of any potential fines.