Brakeless 30,000 Pound Dump Truck Crashes in Belmont

BELMONT, CA – An out-of-control dump truck full of gravel crashed into a center median on a busy Belmont roadway Wednesday, but no injuries were reported.

According to Belmont Police Capt. Patrick Halleran, the incident happened around 8:30 a.m. along Ralston Avenue, just west of Alameda.

"Upon arrival, officers found that a two-axle dump truck had collided with a pine tree in the center median," Halleran said in a news release. "There were no injuries, however the truck sustained major damage and the tree had to be removed."

The driver, a 52-year-old San Francisco resident, told police that he was headed eastbound on Ralson when his brakes suddenly failed.

"He attempted to slow the truck, which investigators estimate weighed approximately 30,000 pounds, by scraping his tires against the curb. "When this did not work, he drove into a pine tree on the center median to avoid hitting other cars."

Police say the cause of the wreck is under investigation, but it appears to be mechanical failure.

Following the morning incident, Ralston was reduced to one lane in each direction for more than two hours so crews could clear the scene and remove the tree.

(Image courtesy of the Belmont Police Department)