DUI Suspected in Highway 101 Semi Crash: '5 Times The Legal Limit,' CHP Says

SAN RAFAEL, CA – A semi-truck with a crane attached to it crashed on Monday morning on northbound U.S. Highway 101 and temporarily blocked three lanes just south of the Central San Rafael exit, according to the California Highway Patrol. The man behind the wheel, officials say, was driving with a blood alcohol five times the legal limit.

The incident was reported at 8 a.m., and the CHP issued Sig-alert at 8:12 a.m. When the agency got to the scene, they discovered a flatbed truck with a permanently mounted crane lying on its left side blocking the numbers one through three lanes, the agency said.

"Our preliminary investigation reveals the truck, and only vehicle involved in this collision, was traveling on US-101 N/B at approximately 55 MPH when the driver, due to his alcohol intoxication, allowed his vehicle to drift onto the shoulder and strike the concrete bridge rail at the beginning of the Central San Rafael Viaduct," Marin CHP officials said in a news release. "The force of this impact caused the truck to overturn onto its passenger side and slide across the freeway and come to a stop facing south and blocking the three left lanes."

Two people who were in the truck, which was loaded with steel "I" beams that managed to remain secured during the crash. Officials say the two were transported to Marin General Hospital with minor injuries, and it was there that they discovered the driver was likely under the influence.

"While obtaining the statement, officers observed objective symptoms of alcohol intoxication and placed the driver under arrest for DUI," the CHP's news release said. "The driver’s blood alcohol content was more the 5 times the legal limit for commercial vehicles (.04%) and more than 2 ½ times the legal limit if he had been driving a passenger car (.08%)."

As of Monday afternoon, the unidentified driver remained hospitalized. However, officials said they would book him into the Marin County jail when released.

"This preventable, DUI collision not only caused injuries to the parties involved, but had a major impact on this morning’s commute," Marin CHP officials said. "Traffic northbound backed up beyond Lucky Dr. and the normally heavy southbound commute lasted into the late morning as rubber neckers slowed to see all the activity on the northbound side."

The 101 was completely reopened to traffic by 11:30 a.m.

Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone