Live Wires, Angry Bees Complicate Crash Rescue Effort

A pickup truck crashed into a light pole on the Eastern Transportation Corridor (261) Tollway today, disturbing a swarm of bees that stung two would-be good Samaritans trying to help the trapped driver.

The truck slammed into the pole in the southbound lanes of the tollway between Irvine Boulevard and Portola Parkway about 10:30 a.m., according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

A man and woman who stopped to try to assist the 34-year-old driver were stung several times by bees, so they backed off and waited for help to arrive, Concialdi said.

Firefighters used foam and water from their hoses to brush aside the bees as they went to work on extricating the driver from the wreckage, Concialdi said. It was tricky because of live wires from the damaged light pole, he said.

It took nearly 30 minutes to free the unidentified driver, who was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana for treatment of a head injury that was not considered life-threatening, Concialdi said.

The victims who were stung by the bees were treated at the scene by paramedics.

City News Service