A blown tire is behind a big rig crash Thursday evening that tied up traffic on Eastbound I-10 for several hours. The box trailer filled with 39 tons of avocados flipped on Interstate 10, initially blocking all lanes of traffic and causing traffic delays for miles.
The collision was first reported at 4:43 p.m. and brought cars to a near standstill near Haugen Lehman Way, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP Officer Jim Wisegarver said the big rig was headed eastbound on I-10 two miles east of Main Street, when a Suzuki Forenza driving slightly behind the big rig blew its left rear tire. The driver of the sedan, a woman from Yucca Valley, lost control of the car, which spun across the freeway and struck the big rig on the left front tire.
That caused the steering wheel of the big rig to jerk out of the driver's hands. The truck overturned into traffic but the driver was not injured. The driver of the Suzuki was taken to the hospital, after complaining of minor shoulder pain.
Two lanes reopened to traffic by 6:30 p.m.. Motorists were advised to exit Interstate 10 at Main Street, and take a frontage road east to Haugen Lehman Way. Some lane closures were expected until at least 8:30 p.m.
Wisegarver did not expect to write any tickets as a result of the collision.
"The tire [on the Suzuki] was totally obliterated," he said.
"Blown tires are "especially a concern as the weather heats up," continued Wisegarver. "An underinflated tire will create excessive heat, and with the warmer temperatures, it causes an additional amount of heat, and this causes the sidewalls of the tire to fail."
Wisegarver advised checking tire pressure, as well as the general condition of the tire, including any possible bulging, and tread depth.
"That area is a high wind area," he added. "And it could possibly have contributed to the cause of this crash."
Drivers headed through the area should be careful when driving near high profile vehicles.
