By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – We know now what caused a semi to roll over on the Tumwater Truck Route Monday, blocking traffic for 4 hours.

Port Angeles Police Corp. Jeff Ordona says that at around 3:00pm, the driver of the truck tried to enter the roadway after filling up at the gas station near the bottom of the hill and things got out of hand.

“When I arrived, I found a semi truck on its side. I spoke with the driver, and he was attempting to enter the roadway from the south side of the fuel station there, and it’s kind of a tight turn. He didn’t completely make the turn, and his back wheel of the trailer went into the drainage ditch there, which caused the entire trailer to tip, which then, you know, kind of sucked the truck down with it. And ended up on its side, and kind of up against a city power pole there.”

Ordona said the driver wasn’t hurt, but he was cited for driving with his wheels off the roadway, which caused the rollover.

The truck’s fuel tank was punctured, spilling diesel fuel onto the roadway. Ordona said a crew from Herman Brothers showed up quickly, used the correct material to absorb the fuel, and had the spill cleaned up in good time.

Traffic was blocked until 7:00pm.