Trucker reunited with rig after mudslide washes out road

A truck driver is finally reunited with his truck after a mudslide in California left it trapped on a washed out road. 

Truck driver Cesar Garcia was picking up a load at the New Colgate Powerhouse in Dobbins, California in mid February when a large water pipe experienced a massive failure. The water released from the pipe caused mudslides and even trapped some employees at the facility. Now, three weeks after the incident, Garcia was able to regain possession of the truck that helps him to make a living. 

“My truck, trailer, and my equipment was at the bottom of the mountain when it happened,” Garcia said to KCRA3.

Garcia says he lost out on at least $15,000 in earnings while his rig was stuck in the washed out area. “The fact that I can’t work and I’m just using my savings, it’s really putting a strain on our family right now,” he said.

“We feel bad for Cesar, and this incident has impacted all of us, and I feel terrible that he hasn’t been able to work, and if I could go down there and drive his truck out personally, I would,” said Willie Whittlesey from the Yuba Water Agency at the time of the incident.

On Friday, March 6th, teams with the Yuba Water Agency were finally able to escort the truck out of the washed out area and return it to Garcia, who was finally reunited with his rig and livelihood reported KCRA3.

Lake Francis Road is still closed while the final repairs continue, but crews have already removed 130 dump trucks worth of debris from the disaster site. Crews are currently working to remove equipment from the nearby lake.