A large truck hauling sand in the North Berkeley Hills overturned Thursday afternoon, and bystanders had to extricate the driver, who was taken to the hospital, authorities said.
Deputy Fire Chief Donna McCracken said the truck had been hauling sand while driving down Glendale Avenue when it “lost its brakes” around 1:30 p.m.
In an emergency maneuver, the driver steered up onto a private driveway at La Loma Avenue to stop the vehicle.
McCracken said the truck struck a parked car and retaining wall, causing damage, before it rolled onto its side.
Bystanders extricated the driver from the truck and paramedics took the driver to the hospital for treatment.
McCracken said no other injuries were reported.
Local resident Daniel McPartlan pointed out on Twitter that the location of the crash was “a little ironic” because there’s a sign at that intersection directing large trucks onto Glendale from La Loma.
The Berkeley Police Department put out an alert about the crash shortly before 2 p.m. using its Nixle notification system.
BPD wrote that traffic was being diverted due to the crash.
BPD spokesman Sgt. Andrew Frankel initially said no injuries had been reported.
In a second Nixle notice at about 2:45 p.m., BPD wrote that “Emergency personnel are departing the scene, however traffic may be slow/diverted in the area due to tow truck efforts to remove the involved truck. There is no hazard and crews are working to clear the congestion as soon as possible.”
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