Truck hauling dirt to dump tips on Haverford Road

A semi-truck and one of two trailers it was hauling tip over as the driver hauling dirt to Ramona Landfill makes a left turn onto Haverford Road from eastbound state Route 78 on Thursday afternoon.

By Maureen Robertson

A county roads crew cleared Haverford Road at state Route 78 of about 12 yards of dirt that dumped on the roadway after a semi-truck with trailers failed to successfully negotiate a left-hand turn from eastbound SR78 onto Haverford about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

The driver, Shannon Smith, 38, of Loomis, was uninjured, reported California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Kattke. Smith was driving the dirt to Ramona Landfill on Pamo Road for Heavy Cargo of Temecula, a private contractor, said Kattke. The landfill, which ceased operations in June 2009, is being covered with about 4 feet of dirt, per state environmental regulations, the landfill site manager told the Sentinel last month.

The driver estimated she was traveling about 18 mph as she made the left turn, Kattke said, adding that she

said she felt the vehicle tipping to the right. The truck and the first of the two trailers it was hauling tipped onto their side, spilling the dirt from the first trailer onto Haverford. The road was closed for about one and half hours for the accident investigation and so the vehicle could be towed and the dirt removed from the road.