BEAR, DELAWARE (7/7/2015) A dump truck driver was seriously injured when his vehicle overturned on Route 1 near Bear and spilled 20 tons of dirt unto the roadway, Delaware State Police said.
The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. Monday in the southbound lanes just north of Route 72 (Wrangle Hill Road).
Theodore L. Hartle, 53, of Townsend, was driving a 2004 Mack Truck owned by Colonial Trucking Inc., of Newark, in the center lane, police said.
As traffic began to slow in front of him, Hartle sharply applied his brakes, police said, and struck a wire guardrail in the median. The truck overturned on its left side and spilled its load onto the northbound lanes.
Hartle was trapped in the truck about 10 minutes, police said, until he was freed by firefighters.
He was taken to Christiana Hospital.
Troopers cited him for following too closely.
Route 1 was partially closed about 2.5 hours as police investigated and the wreckage was cleared.