Overturned Garbage Truck Causes Highway Closure

The westbound lanes of Highway 118 east of Collins Drive were closed for about two hours Monday due to an oil and diesel spill that occurred when a garbage truck went out of control, collided with a hillside and overturned.

According to a statement issued by the California Highway Patrol, the driver of a 2007 Mack garbage truck was traveling westbound on Highway 118 at about 11 a.m. when he lost control while trying to slow for traffic due to another, unrelated collision. The garbage truck collided with the side of a hill and overturned, coming to a rest on its right side, the statement said.

The driver, Bulmaro Medina, 57, of Fillmore was not injured, but as a result of the collision, which did not involve other vehicles, engine oil and diesel fuel spilled onto the highway shoulder and into a storm drain and the road was closed until about 1 p.m. for clean up and removal of the truck, according to the statement.