Sig Alert Issued As Another Major Crash Blocks Badlands

BEAUMONT, CA — A highway thoroughfare out of Beaumont into Moreno Valley faced severe delays — again — on Monday after a dump truck driver plowed into a hillside, partially blocking one side of the freeway, officials reported.

The crash was reported about 10:45 a.m. on the westbound 60, in the sparsely populated area known as the Badlands, according to the California Highway Patrol.The agency said the truck veered off of the four-lane route and into the escarpment, leaving the trailer protruding into the No. 2 lane.

As of 2:25 p.m., traffic reports and cameras showed vehicles were at a crawl for several miles behind the crash.

No other vehicles were involved.

According to preliminary reports from the scene, the trucker was initially trapped inside the rig but managed to extricate himself with the assistance of witnesses. He declined medical attention.

CHP officers shut down the slow lane, and a SigAlert was issued at 11:30 a.m. due to the ensuing traffic tie-up.

The closure was expected to be lifted by 3 p.m. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Earlier Monday morning, drivers hit an extra traffic snafu as a multi-vehicle crash blocked the Badlands. Traffic reports showed that both the 60 and 10 freeways were congested for several miles headed west from Banning and Beaumont.

SEE ALSO: 'Coachella' Exodus To Clog Banning, Beaumont Freeways Again

RIVCO: WB SR-60 just before the Badlands, (MM 24.63), Unincorporated, traffic collision blocking lane #2 until further notice. #Caltrans8
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) April 23, 2018

— City News Service contributed to this report / Images via Caltrans