Tennessee authorities say that they have issued citations to the trucker responsible for wedging an oversized load under a bridge in downtown Nashville last week.
The incident happened on Friday around noon when a Kentucky-based DG Equipment Movers truck hauling a piece of Caterpillar equipment struck and then became wedged under an overpass on eastbound I-40. Not only did the incident cause major traffic backups, but it also did $4 million worth of damage to the structure, according to officials.
After investigating the incident further, Tennessee law enforcement has issued several citations to the truck driver. The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Sgt. Charlie Caplinge explains, “Upon investigation, the driver was found not to have proper endorsement on his drivers license to be operating the type vehicle that he’s operating. The driver does not have a permit to be in this area.” Capilinge went on to explain that the truck driver did have a permit for his original route, which would have taken him through western Tennessee but that he left that route. According to the Tennessean, the truck driver told troopers that he believed that he had the proper permit.
An escort vehicle driver ahead of the oversized load is said to have reported that the height pole did not strike the I-40 overpass.
The truck driver was cited for operating a vehicle that was over-height and over-width, as well as pulling a double trailer without the proper endorsement.
In the clip below, you can hear a wide load crew member tell a local reporter that “the bridge was too low” as an explanation for the crash.