Ontario Provincial Police say the driver of the tractor trailer that rolled over at the Highway 3 roundabout on the weekend will be charged.
Const. Ben Metcalfe said it isn’t clear exactly what happened, but that speed was a factor in the accident on Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews, which responded to the rollover just before 2 p.m., were working to contain a small diesel leak in the truck’s fuel tanks. The truck was carrying 80,000 pounds of grape concentrate.
The roundabout was closed until Sunday evening.
“It’s just the roundabout again,” said Kevin Kavanaugh, a Tecumseh Fire Rescue Services captain. “I don’t think there are a lot of people familiar with these and this truck is from Missouri, out of state, so I’d imagine maybe a new experience for the driver.”
Metcalfe said there were no other vehicles involved in the accident and no major injuries.
The driver was assisted by paramedics at the scene and stretchered into an ambulance.
As of Monday night, OPP had not released any further information about the driver or the charges.
There have been three rollovers at this intersection within the last several weeks. In April, another tractor trailer rolled over in this same intersection after the load shifted in the trailer. There were no reported injuries and no charges laid in that case.
Some are calling for changes to be made. The president of the Ontario Trucking Association called for mandatory anti-rollover technology in all new tractor trailers.
The driver of the truck that rolled over at the Highway 3 roundabout at Howard Avenue on Sunday is placed on a stretcher after escaping from his tractor-trailer rig. The truck was hauling 80,000 lbs. of grape concentrate. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)
