Man Drove DOT Truck Off Of Route 8, Struck A Tree: State Police

NAUGATUCK, CT — A Southbury man drove his state DOT truck off the highway just before noon Monday and crashed the vehicle into a tree, which was very closely to the Naugatuck River, according to State Police.

Eugene Francis Casivant Sr., 59, of Berkshire Road, was driving a DOT truck in the right lane of two lanes of Route 8 southbound in the area of Exit 28, State Police said. For an "unknown reason," the vehicle veered from the right lane across the right shoulder, then breached the metal beam guardrail along the right shoulder, and traveled down the embankment, State Police said.

The vehicle hit a tree, which was located feet from the Naugatuck River. DOT and DEEP were called to assist in clean up and recovery of the vehicle. No fuel tanks were breached and there was no contamination into the river.

Casivant complained of pain and was taken to the hospital, State Police said. The accident is under investigation.