A section of Highway 20 in Yuba County, east of Marysville, is expected to remain closed until early Friday morning after a gasoline tanker overturned and spilled fuel into an irrigation ditch.
The crash was reported at 6:46 a.m. Thursday. Jose L. Gonzalez, 51, of Sacramento was driving a 2011 Peterbilt tractor with a tanker trailer east on Highway 20 west of Plantz Road. About 7,000 gallons of gasoline were in the tanker trailer and 1,500 gallons of diesel in a second compartment, according to a California Highway Patrol news release. For some reason, Gonzalez allowed the truck to drift off the south side of Highway 20, where it overturned due to a shift in weight and came to rest in an irrigation ditch.
The tank ruptured in several spots, releasing a significant amount of gasoline into the irrigation ditch and prompting the site to be declared a hazardous material scene, according to the CHP.
Gonzalez was transported to a hospital with major injuries. The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have been factors in the crash.
For safety reasons, Highway 20 has been closed to all traffic during the cleanup activities. Detours are in place westbound at Woodruff Lane and for eastbound Highway 20 traffic at east 22nd Street. The roadway isn’t expected to reopen until after midnight.
Cathy Locke: 916-321-5287, @lockecathy