One dead in North Lake Tahoe big-rig accident

UPDATE: 10 PM: The runaway truck ramp at the bottom of Mount Rose Highway in Incline Village was the scene of another tragedy today as a truck driver was killed trying to stop his vehicle using the ramp.
The Nevada Highway Patrol reports that the truck was carrying composite decking material on a flatbed trailer. The driver used the ramp to stop the vehicle, but the cargo broke loose and crushed the cab of the truck.
This ramp has been the scene of several accidents over the years as its short length was shown to not be capable of stopping large runaway trucks. In 2010, another truck driver was killed when his truck launched of the end of the ramp and crashed into a home and caught on fire. There were other incidents of trucks flying off the ramp in 2002 and 2003.

I was there to see the aftermath of the 2003 crash, when a truck carrying gypsum wallboard flew off the end of the ramp and crashed into some large trees before stopping. The driver of that truck was extremely lucky to survive.
This time it appears the ramp actually stopped the truck, which would seem to be an improvement over previous incidents. But that's not much consolation for the driver and his family.

The following is from Trooper Chuck Allen of the Nevada Highway Patrol:

Truck Driver Killed in Incident on Runaway Truck Ramp at Incline Village When Load of Building Materials Shifted Forward

This afternoon at approximately 2:48 pm, troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol were dispatched to an incident involving a commercial motor vehicle that utilized a runaway truck ramp on State Route 431, approximately one-half mile east of State Route 28, within the community of Incline Village. The vehicle involved was described as an eighteen wheeled commercial motor vehicle comprised of a truck tractor pulling a trailer transporting composite decking materials traveling westbound on the two-lane highway.

For reasons still being investigated, the unidentified male driver utilized the truck ramp in an effort to stop his vehicle. The truck and trailer stopped near the termination point of the ramp; however, the entire load of building materials shifted forward crushing the entire cab and killing the driver. No other vehicles were involved in this tragedy.

Emergency responders from the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District were in the process of extricating the driver from the interior compartment of the truck late this afternoon and early evening. Once the Washoe County Coroner’s Office positively identifies the victim and next of kin notifications are properly made, we will release the name.

Inspectors from the Nevada Highway Patrol-Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Section were at the site performing an inspection of the big rig to try and determine what mechanical deficiencies or contributing factors could be identified. Trooper Chris Kelly of the NHP- Major Accident Investigation Team or M.A.I.T. is the lead investigator of this tragedy. Witnesses to the event, to include anyone who may have seen a driving pattern of the truck prior to utilizing the ramp, are encouraged to contact him at (775) 687-0400 regarding case number NHP-120423450.