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Battery spill shuts lanes of traffic on 118
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Lanes of westbound Highway 118 near the Ventura County line were closed Thursday after a truck went over an embankment and spilled a load of batteries, authorities said.
The crash occurred about 10:20 a.m. on Highway 118 between Rocky Peak Fire Road and Topanga Canyon Boulevard near the Ventura-Los Angeles county line.
Carmela Montero, 20, of Simi Valley was driving in the fast lane when she lost control for an unknown reason, swerved into the slow lane and hit a truck driven by Michael Dunbar, 46, of Bell Gardens, said Officer Brandon Mumme of the California Highway Patrol.
The impact caused the truck to veer right over an embankment. The truck came to a stop about 300 feet down the slope.
About 130 new and used car batteries spilled from the vehicle, said Bill Nash, a Ventura County Fire Department spokesman. Several of the batteries broke open.
Dunbar was extricated from the truck and taken to a local hospital with moderate injuries, Nash said. Montero was not injured.
All westbound lanes were initially blocked, but two were quickly reopened, Mumme said. The slow lane was closed until 8:30 p.m. as environmental crews cleaned up the spill.
The CHP wants witnesses to call Mumme at 553-0800.
Posted by clementine on May 16, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Isn't it interesting that the 20 yr old female driver was not injured - but the driver of the truck she hit was. Why the heck was this 20 yr old driving in the fast lane??? Maybe she needs to take driving lessons.
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