Semi-Truck Crashes Into Burney Bank
On the morning of August 19, 2021, a big rig driver suffered major injuries when his truck plowed into the building that houses U.S. Bank in Burney, California.
Details of the Incident
The location of the incident was 37131 Main Street/State Route 299 East. The truck driver had been hauling 40 tons of pool chemicals at the time of the crash. The impact destroyed the bank’s sign and caused serious damage to the exterior of the building. The bank’s ATM, which was located just outside the front door, was also destroyed.
Burney Bank Crash Scene Response
Agencies that responded to the scene included the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Burney Division of the Shasta County Sheriff, and other emergency personnel. The authorities were dispatched to the accident scene at approximately 11:20 a.m., according to radio traffic and a CHP incident log.
First to arrive at the scene due to proximity were firefighters from the Burney Fire Protection District. They found the semi-truck driver trapped inside the wreckage of the white big rig. They also discovered serious damage to the bank building. Additional emergency resources were requested in order to free the severely injured driver from his truck.
Shortly thereafter, authorities requested that State Route 299E be closed to better allow first responders to attend to the chaotic scene.
Truck Driver Sustained Major Injuries
Once the driver was extricated, he was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center in Redding for treatment of his major injuries, according to the CHP report.
Burney Bank Incident Investigation
While it initially appeared that the truck driver may have been traveling significantly faster than the speed limit of 30 miles per hour, CHP officials later revealed that the semi had been traveling at 23-25 mph and that if it had been going faster, the damage and injuries would have been much worse.
Witnesses reported that just prior to the crash, the semi-truck veered from the westbound lane, across the eastbound lane, and then crashed into the bank building. A number of witnesses noted that it did not appear that the driver applied the brakes or attempted to correct the truck’s wayward course of travel.
None of the pool chemicals that were loaded into the truck’s trailer spilled. Investigation into what caused the crash continues, but according to CHP officials, drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to have been a contributing factor.
Potential Causes of Burney Bank Crash
While no report on the cause of the accident has been released by the CHP, given the witness accounts that the truck did not slow down or attempt to avoid the collision, it may be that the driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel. It is also possible that he suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash.
Watch the YouTube video. While accidents such as the Burney bank crash are not common, they do happen. The clip below shows a big rig crashing into a commercial building in Utah.
Burney Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for visiting our legal blog. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Burney, California personal injury attorney. Car and truck crashes are most often caused by driver negligence. If you have been hurt in an accident caused by another driver, our injury lawyers are available to help with your insurance and legal claims. Reach out to us at (800) 404-5400 or (530) 392-9400 and we will be happy to offer compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice.
I have been advocating for Burney and Shasta County residents for decades in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
For more information on our firm, please see our Verdicts and Settlements page, as well as our reviews on Avvo, Yelp, and Google.
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/transportation-driving-freeway-1495618/
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