Trucker Crashes Over Hillside in Collier

A trucker hauling kitchen countertops slid over a hillside in Collier Township after his GPS unit apparently malfunctioned Tuesday morning.

The tractor-trailer couldn’t make the bend on South Gray Avenue while trying to get back onto Vanadium Road, prompting it to slide down an embankment and split a utility line.

Collier police and were called to the scene shortly after 6 a.m. and South Gray Avenue was expected to be closed most of the day while crews repaired the damage electricity lines.

“It doesn’t matter how wide you make the turn, you just can’t make it,” Lewis said. “The key now is to get him off the road and on with his delivery.”

Lewis said the driver was heading to nearby Giffin Interior & Fixture to drop off the countertops. Neither the truck nor the 15,000 pounds of freight appeared to be seriously damaged, Lewis said.

Collier police said the driver, Jermyle Richards of Rockmart, Ga., was trapped in the truck’s cab for a lengthy period because live wires were straddling his roof. Officers had to wait until crews shut off the power before removing him. He was not injured and police said they haven't decided whether they'll file charges.

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