Crash Forces Five-Hour Closure of Freeway, Injures Two

Two men involved in an impressive crash that forced a five and a half hour closure of the connector road at the 60 and 57 freeways somehow escaped the incident with minor injuries, California Highway Patrol officials reported today.

The crash was reported at 10:05 p.m. Aug. 15 in Diamond Bar. According to the California Highway Patrol, Michael Miccio, 41, of Rancho Cucamonga, was driving a tractor-trailer truck on the connector road from eastbound 60 Freeway to southbound 57 Freeway in the No. 2, or middle, lane. Miccio was traveling 55 to 60 miles per hour.

Billy Chou, 27, of Diamond Bar, was in a 2008 Honda, headed in the same direction in the fast – or No. 1 – lane directly next to the tractor-trailer, CHP officials said. The big rig was traveling too fast as they entered a curve and was forced to brake hard, officers said.

Miccio lost control of the rig, crossed over the broken white line and overturned onto its left side, landing on top of Chou’s Honda, officials said. The vehicles came to stop blocking the transition road.

Both drivers were able to get out of their vehicles and both were treated for minor injuries at Pomona Valley Medical Center, officials said.

Officers R. Rombouts and D. Mullane and Sergeant A. Antillon were the first to arrive at the scene.

The connector road was closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 this morning, according to the CHP.