FRANKLIN COUNTY, Wash. — Authorities are investigating a serious accident that led to the closure of one lane on Highway 395 on Friday afternoon.
The incident occurred at 12:19 p.m., just north of the Country Mercantile, when a semi-truck collided with a pickup truck that was towing farming equipment. Fortunately, the driver of the pickup was unharmed, but the semi-truck driver was taken to the hospital after being trapped in his vehicle.
A truck driver was hospitalized after crashing into a piece of farming equipment on Highway 395 north of the Country Mercantile. KEPR Action News
Chief Mike Harris of Franklin County Fire District 3 discussed the difficulties firefighters encountered during the rescue operation. “Cars are relatively straightforward. We often practice on vehicles at the junkyard, removing posts and rolling the dash. However, a semi-truck presents its own set of challenges, with a lot of fiberglass, steel wires, cables, and a more substantial battery bank than a car,” he noted.
A truck driver was hospitalized after crashing into a piece of farming equipment on Highway 395 north of the Country Mercantile. KEPR Action News
Fire crews successfully freed the trapped driver after approximately 20 minutes. The cause of the crash has not yet been revealed by officials.
