Trucker takes on restricted mountain route, winds up in creek

A semi truck driver dared to take a North Carolina mountain road marked as a no-truck route and paid the price, falling down an embankment and landing in the creek below.

The incident happened on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 12, in Macon County, North Carolina, according to a report from WLOS.

North Carolina troopers say that a truck hauling railroad ties entered a restricted section of Highway 64 through Cullasaja Gorge. The trucker reportedly swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle on the tight lanes of the mountain highway, causing his load to shift. The truck then overturned and fell down an embankment into Buck Creek below.

The truck driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Paul Corbin of Cullasaja Gorge Fire & Rescue Inc says that trucks are not allowed on that section of Highway 64, but that drivers often follow their GPS devices and ignore road signs. “There’s a big sign that says restricted road, turn around. And … the government put the turnaround in. They’re just not following it,” he said.

The truck driver was cited by state police for driving on a restricted truck route.

Highway 64 was shut down for about eight hours while crews worked to remove the truck from the creek.