California personal injury-25-ton steel pipe plummets from La Mesa overpass, injures 2

2009-12-15 02:28:14 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Personal Injury)

Legal News for California personal injury attorneys. A taxi driver and passenger were injured when a 50-foot steel pipe crushed their vehicle.

California Highway Patrol alerts California personal injury attorneys- A 25-ton steel pipe fell off a 18-wheeler, rolled off an overpass, and crushed a taxi.

San Diego, CA—A taxi driver and his passenger had a brush with death on Friday, December 11, 2009, when a 25-ton steel pipe fell off a flatbed 18-wheeler and onto an overpass, where it then plummeted onto the roadway below. Two people were rushed to the hospital after the pipe fell off the East County freeway overpass and onto La Mesa Boulevard below, around 9:00 a.m. in La Mesa, as reported by 10News.com.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a truck was hauling a 50-foot-long by 8-foot-diameter metal cylinder, when the big rig lost control while on the connector from southbound State Route 125 to eastbound Interstate 8, and struck a barrier wall. The collision caused the massive metal tube to separate from its anchoring and roll off the edge of the overpass. The 25-ton steel pipe crashed onto La Mesa Boulevard 75-feet below, crushing the passenger side of a taxi that was traveling on the roadway, which also created a massive crater in the asphalt. The 47-year-old taxi driver and his 73-year-old passenger were injured by the pipe, and were rushed to an area hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not disclosed, but the driver was reportedly released from the hospital that night. The CHP believed the 18-wheeler lost control due to excessive speeds. The pipe was being transported to be used as a water conduit in a dam project in the San Vicente area. The CHP are reportedly conducting a full investigation into the accident. No charges have reportedly been filed at this time.

Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for California personal injury lawyers.