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Trucker Destroys 3-Ton Bridge

allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,692 ✭✭✭✭
edited May 2017 in General Discussion
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UPDATE: Charges pending against truck driver after bridge collap - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI ? News, Weather and Sports |

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UPDATE: Charges pending against truck driver after bridge collapses


7
Posted: May 10, 2017 1:33 PM EDT
Updated: May 10, 2017 1:38 PM EDT


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WINNESHIEK COUNTY (KWWL) - -
UPDATE: The Iowa State Patrol's District 10 office in Oelwein says charges are pending against the driver of a grain truck who drove over a Winneshiek County bridge which collapsed under the truck's weight.

The collapse happened last Friday. The Iowa State Patrol says the driver was Justin Hippen, who is 29 years old from Parkersburg. He drives for Sinclair Milling. Officers in Winneshiek County say the grain truck weighed about 30 tons while crossing the bridge, which was only able to handle about three tons of weight. They also say signs were posed before the crossing indicating the weight limit.



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More information will be released regarding the pending charges by the Iowa State Patrol at a later time.


UPDATE (5/8): Crews are set to begin cleaning up the damage after the collapse of the historic Daley's bridge over the Upper Iowa River. The clean-up is slated to begin Tuesday.

Winneshiek county supervisors made a visit to the site today, inspecting the damage and constructing a plan for repairs.

County Engineer Lee Bjerke says they've hired a contractor that is set to start the clean-up process Tuesday.

"We just want to get the structure out of the water and get the river open and safe again," said Bjerke. "A lot of fishing goes on it, a lot of canoeing, tubers, it has a big recreational draw. And we just don't want anyone coming down floating into the bridge and impaling themselves, getting cut on it, or worse you know getting pulled under it or anything like that."

Crews estimate it will take a total four days to clean-up. Bjerke expects the destruction in the river to be entirely cleared up by the end of this week. The cost for the clean-up is at $4,000 a day.

The 2013 traffic count for the bridge is around 30 cars, which pass through the bridge daily. Bjerke says although it is not a significant amount, it still poses as an obstacle for tourism and area businesses who are faced with a challenge-both on land to find a different a route and in water.

Hruska's Bluffton Campground in Cresco says their major attraction is the Upper Iowa River. Owner Duane Hruska says the bridge collapse will undoubtedly impact their business, a significant part which includes canoe, and kayak rentals.

"Extra gas to run these trips, while we're trying to maintain our prices at the same and running that much more gravel we're going to burn up more tires because it's going to be harder on our vehicles," said Hruska.

The Daley's bridge is no stranger to wear and tear. Bjerke says the bridge has been closed for repairs before, but always re-opened. Winneshiek County inspects this bridge, among other, ever year.

"You know we've found problems with it, fixed it, got it back open, fixed it," said Bjerke. "If we had any idea this bridge was going to come down, we would've closed it. Now the load that went across it was way heavier than it was designed for and we can't anticipate that someone's going to do that."

The Daley's bridge is now at the forefront of the county's radar.

"We do want to salvage as much of it as we can, but that salvage is definitely secondary to just getting it out," said Bjerke.

The county's priority is removing the bridge. Once the bridge is removed, they will take steps to determine how to rebuild the bridge, factoring in environmental issues, nearby landowners and cost.

"Our estimates are a little old, are $780,000 to put this new structure in," said Bjerke. "We're going to have to go back into that now, and this could really eat up our entire $900,000 depending on how we try to get this new bridge in."

Winneshiek County Attorney Andrew Van Der Maaten says his office will determine whether or not they will file charges against the driver of the truck, once the investigation is complete.

Comments

  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another * out to make us all look bad.

    It should be legal to beat the tar out of some people.
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,240 ******
    edited November -1
    [V][V][V][V][V]
  • AzAfshinAzAfshin Member Posts: 2,985 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Come on, 3 differs from 30 by only a zero, and that's nothing [:D]
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,233 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by AzAfshin
    Come on, 3 differs from 30 by only a zero, and that's nothing [:D]
    Hey, you understand![:D]
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,692 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The last one we had was a female genius driver, she was carrying 38 tons, and she destroyed a 6 ton bridge. Said she didn't know how to convert tons to pounds.
    Hell, I could do that in fourth grade, of course, I didn't attend an Amish school like she did, I think all the Amish school books are written in German, maybe Krauts don't use tons.
    In fact, I bet they don't I think tons are an English invention.

    That was bad enough.

    Now, this Boy Wonder destroys a 3-ton bridge?
    Good God, the front wheels alone, of a Big Rig, are 6-tons.

    I wonder how much prison, if any, this genius will get?
    Good Lord do we have some dumb * packing CDLs these days.
  • godalejrgodalejr Member Posts: 2,038 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • redhawkk480redhawkk480 Member Posts: 2,532 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Our estimates are a little old, are $780,000 to put this new structure in," said Bjerke. "We're going to have to go back into that now, and this could really eat up our entire $900,000 depending on how we try to get this new bridge in."


    the Sinclair Milling insurance will end up paying for it as they should.

    If you're ever in that area and have time on your hands go North to Harmony MN and check out the caves
    http://www.niagaracave.com/index.html
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A brief yet riveting career in truck driving. [:p]
  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
    Another * out to make us all look bad.



    Lord knows you all don't need any help in that department. [:D]
  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Smitty500mag
    quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
    Another * out to make us all look bad.



    Lord knows you all don't need any help in that department. [:D]

    Nope, the modern day trucking schools and companies that hire students are taking care of that for us!!
  • Sam06Sam06 Member Posts: 21,244 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
    quote:Originally posted by Smitty500mag
    quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
    Another * out to make us all look bad.



    Lord knows you all don't need any help in that department. [:D]

    Nope, the modern day trucking schools and companies that hire students are taking care of that for us!!


    Thats a fact BSR!

    I was driving to ATL last week and I got behind several "Trucker Races", two trucks that are both governed neck and neck one trying to pass the other for fricking miles down the Interstate, neither ever even getting up to the speed limit of 70mph.

    I would say one was governed to maybe 64 the other 67, I caught myself actually cheering on the Swift driver as he was holding his own against the Werner driver trying to pass.

    The Swift guy got hosed in the end by some old lady who thought it was still 1978 and was doing 55 in the right lane in her 1987 Malibu.[:D]



    I bet that grain truck was fun getting off that pilling[;)]
    RLTW

  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,063 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So it's "history" [:D]. Love to see that "selfie".
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    if they only registered trucks this would never happen
  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1-fan
    if they only registered trucks this would never happen



    Yes.If it just saved one 3 ton bridge it would be worth it.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
  • AzAfshinAzAfshin Member Posts: 2,985 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Alpine
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1-fan
    if they only registered trucks this would never happen



    Yes.If it just saved one 3 ton bridge it would be worth it.


    I heard he didn't have a tax stamp for his muffler.
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