CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA — A truck driver was cut out of a completely crushed cab by Los Angeles County firefighters Friday afternoon after rear-ending a semi-truck’s trailer on the westbound 10 Freeway near Indian Hill Boulevard with enough force to destroy the cab entirely and pin him inside, backing up westbound traffic all the way past Ontario and into Chino during the Friday evening commute.
The crash happened at approximately 4 p.m. The trailing semi rear-ended the back of another big rig’s trailer. A third truck sustained minor secondary damage at the scene. The force of the impact completely crushed and crumpled the cab of the rear truck, trapping the driver inside.
LA County firefighters used heavy rescue tools to cut through the mangled wreckage and pull the driver free. He was placed on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital. The extent of his injuries remains unknown. No other injuries were reported from the other trucks involved.
CHP initially shut down all westbound lanes, squeezing traffic into the carpool lane only. Crews eventually reopened the three far-left lanes as they cleared enough wreckage to allow traffic through. Westbound gridlock backed up past Chino and Pomona into Ontario. Eastbound traffic also stalled significantly from rubbernecking.
The cause of the initial rear-end collision has not been released.
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