Motorist Helps Injured Truck Driver

Alabama Mobile Accident closes westbound I-10 near Malbis for more than two hours.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Fri, May 15, 2009 - 7:22 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, May 15, 2009 - 8:11 pm CST

The accident that closed part of I-10 westbound near Malbis Friday afternoon was the most serious of five separate chain reaction wrecks.
It involved two trucks, and one truck driver was hurt.
Austin Bennett of Theodore said the accident happened right in front of him.
Bennett said, "We were pulling up and we saw the two trucks, so we hopped out to see if we could help and I jumped up and I pulled on the window and gave him (the truck driver) my shirt. There wasn't much to do, though."
When asked what kind of injuries the truck driver had, Bennett said, "His head was gashed open."
That truck driver was taken to a hospital by helicopter.
The other truck that was hit caused a big spill.
There were dozens of boxes of orange juice on the interstate.
The surface was also slick with gasoline or oil.
Joey Holasz with the Daphne Fire Department said, "The impact from the second truck burst open the trailer in the first truck, causing the contents to spill out."
Bennett said, "The other truck over there slammed on brakes and he hit about 70 (miles per hour) or so, was what they were saying."
But work crews quickly scooped away the orange juice boxes and sanded down the road.
Still, it took more than two hours to get even one lane of the westbound interstate opened.
Authorities haven't released the name of truck driver, but officials with the Daphne Fire Department said they didn't believe his injuries were life threatening.

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