BIG RIG ACCIDENT: Second big rig accident on 210 causes major damage

September 29, 2010

La Cañada Flintridge – Foothill Freeway (210) has once again became the scene of a big rig accident when a truck careened on the freeway Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Police said the driver of the truck, Luis Eduardo Barajas, allegedly fell asleep while driving. At around 5 am, the big rig swerved out of control and crashed on the eastbound lane of the freeway, near Gould Avenue exit.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Shann Setter said that the truck hit the guard rail in the right lane, plunged off the roadway, struck a tree, and finally came to rest just behind a McDonald’s restaurant.

Barajas claimed that he was well rested when he drove out of Willow Ridge Tuesday afternoon. "I think I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds and that was it," Barajas said. He was wearing his seatbelt, and was able to pull himself out of the vehicle.

The crash caused contents of the trailer to spill out down the embankment. One car parked in the McDonald's parking lot was also slightly damaged after it was hit by debris, Setter added.

Three eastbound lanes of the freeway between Angeles Crest Highway and Gould Avenue were closed for hours, causing morning traffic. No other cars were involved.

This is the second accident that happened along the freeway in just a week. On Tuesday, a Nissan sedan and a big rig collided after the driver of the sedan fell asleep and veered into the path of a truck traveling eastbound. The truck overturned down an embankment at Oceanview Boulevard onramp.

Both accidents involved trucks from GTI Gordon Trucking Company.