Truck driver dies on Mount Rose Highway
A truck driver was killed Monday afternoon after he tried to stop on Mount Rose Highway using the runaway truck ramp.
The name of the victim has not been released.
According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, at 2:48pm, the 18-wheeler pulling a trailer transporting composite decking materials traveling westbound on the two-lane highway toward Lake Tahoe.
For reasons still being investigated, the unidentified male driver utilized the truck ramp in an effort to stop his vehicle. The truck and trailer stopped near the termination point of the ramp; however, the entire load of building materials shifted forward, crushing the entire cab and killing the driver.
No other vehicles were involved.
Steve Allen almost died from the same situation of the cargo shifting forward
in a sudden stop in a railway car he had hopped aboard carrying steel rails. There is supposed to be a steel barrier to prevent the driver from being crushed. How sad this man had to die.
Very sad :(
This is the second fatal truck crash on this death trap of an escape ramp at the bottom of Mt. Rose Hwy at 28 in the last two years! The first firery crash resulted in distroying the adjacent house, this case is yet resolved!
The State, NDOT and NHP are all negligent by allowing loaded big rigs to use Mt. Rose Hwy (state route 431), it is just too dangerous, too steep. It is time to ban or severely weight limit vehicles of this class from this hwy. Period!
I was there, saw the scene both times; a nightmare for our community and the families of the victims. Time to act is now!