Trooper Kevin Burman with the Texas Highway Patrol works a senseless wreck that was allegedly caused by a reckless pickup truck.
18 Wheeler Overturns, Loses Load, MOSCOW, July 12, 2010 - Shortly 11 am on July 12, 2010, a white 2007 Freightliner tractor trailer driven by Bill Gruhn, 47, of Elkhart, was west bound on FM-62 East about 3 miles east of US-59, when, according to Gruhn, a dark colored pickup was in his lane coming head-on. Gruhn, swerved to the right to avoid hitting the pickup. Gruhn's 18 wheeler left the road (which has no shoulders) and turned over. The weight of Gruhn's load (a full load of 2 x 4 lumber) pulled the truck over and it came to rest on it's side facing west. The alleged dark pickup drove way and was not located. DPS Troopers Kevin Burman and David Morris were dispatched to the scene. Gruhn was physically okay. His load of lumber was strewn all over the north side of 62 where his tractor/trailer turned over. According to Gruhn, the lumber was a load that he hand only picked up just minutes earlier from the Camden lumber mill and was enroute to Grand Prairie near Dallas. The truck was owned by WVT of Texas, Inc. (out of Crockett). Gruhn did have insurance and no citations were issued to Gruhn. Riley Wrecker Service out of Corrigan was sent for to recover the turned over 18 wheeler. Traffic was not blocked during investigation and cleanup. At time of press, the scene was still being cleared.
Bill Gruhn of Elkhart climbed out from the wreckage physically un-scathed.
The truck lost its load when the weight of the load itself pulled the whole rig over due to the sloped soft shoulders on FM-62.
The lumber was 8 ft. two by fours.
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