WATCH: Dump Truck Fatality in the Valley
Witnesses describe driver's heroic attempt to avoid hitting cars or people.
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A dump truck speeding down Portage Trail with apparently failing brakes resulted in the death of the driver. As of 1 p.m. recovery was still under way at the crash site.
Witnesses said the driver frantically blared his horn as the truck sped through the intersection of Portage Trail and Akron-Peninsula Road, entered the parking lot of the Valley Centre and veered left, somehow avoiding hitting anything until the truck clipped a tree along the bank then dove into the Cuyahoga River.
The cab of the truck was almost entirely submerged. It was unknown whether the driver was conscious as the truck sank.
Witnesses called police but by the time help arrived, it was clear that he couldn't be saved.
Witness Karla Maple, who works nearby, said the driver really sacrificed himself to avoid colliding with any cars, buildings or people.
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Kate Bigam
2:26 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
This is terribly, terribly sad. I hope the driver's friends & family will be comforted, in some small way, by knowing that in his last moments, this man had the strength & compassion to look out for the safety of others.
David Kearns
2:28 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
God Bless the man for being able to think clearly and avoid what could have been even more disastrous.
angela hardesty
4:37 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wow what a tradegy! God bless this man and all family/friends!!
ashley b.
5:31 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
This is horrible! not to blame anyone but companies worry more and more about getting the job done more than their employees safety or the trucks maintenance. May this driver be recognized as a hero and I pray for his families loss we are sorry to hear this. Coming from a truckers daughter.. a truckers daughter in-law & a truckers grand-daughter. God bless
wmfr
6:50 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Hope the company he worked for is held responsible for this.
Tom Tucker
10:01 am on Friday, July 6, 2012
Clearly you didn't you learn ANYTHING before when you ignorantly jumped to conclusions about a story, only to be made like a fool.
You must love the taste of your foot in your mouth.
Tom Tucker
10:02 am on Friday, July 6, 2012
Such a sad story. God bless this man for doing anything and everything he could to alert everyone and to avoid further tragedy.
Prayers and thoughts to the family!