A truck driver hauling bottled water is in hot water after driving a truck nearly six times heavier than the posted limit over an Indiana bridge built in 1880, causing it to collapse
23 year old Mary Lambright of Louisville Logistics was hauling 43,000 pounds of bottled water through Paoli, Indiana, around noon on Christmas day when the incident occurred.
Lambright claims she was headed to Walmart to park her truck but missed her exit. After making several turns, she entered a parking lot to turn her truck around to try to get back to the Walmart. The parking lot she turned into was too full for her to make the turn, so she drove onto the iron bridge that spans Lick Creek.
The bridge sheared the top of the trailer off while the weight of the truck collapsed the structure. Police believe that she was traveling at about 30 m.p.h. when she began crossing the bridge.
Lambright and her 17 year old female passenger were not injured.
Lambright told police that she saw signage about the bridge’s maximum 6 ton weight limit, but that she was not sure how many pounds made up 6 tons. The bridge had a no truck sign posted as well.
She also told police that she was uncomfortable backing her truck up, which was why she chose to drive it across the tiny bridge instead.
Crews were able to clear the scene by 9 p.m.
Police cited Lambright with reckless operation of a tractor-trailer, disregarding a traffic control device, and overweight on posted bridge.
She received her CDL in May of 2015.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xaGG1ypi4M” width=”700″ height=”500″]
Sources:
Dubois County Free Press
WHAS 11
Time Magazine
WBIW
The Inquisitr