Police jump onboard runaway truck as it heads into Clinton
Highway 8 near the town was closed for more than two hours while officers tried to stop an erratic milk tanker
OPP officers are being praised for acting quickly to avert a potential disaster in Huron County Wednesday morning by intercepting a tanker truck that failed to stop for police.
Police shut down Highway 8 between Seaforth and Clinton at around 7:50 a.m. after receiving reports that a westbound milk tanker truck was driving erratically but at an extremely slow rate of speed.
Const. Jamie Stanle, with the Huron County OPP, estimated the truck was travelling at about 10 km/hr in an 80 km/hr zone and had crossed the centre line and entered the oncoming lane.
Officers made several unsuccessful attempts to stop the vehicle, using lights and sirens but the driver paid no heed, he said. At one point police laid down several spike belts, which deflated the tires, but because of its heavy weight, the vehicle kept on rolling.
Finally, just east of Clinton an officer leaped onto the side of the truck, opened the cab and was able to gain control of the vehicle.
The driver was taken to hospital by ambulance to be assessed.
Stanley said the OPP officers on the scene defused a "really dangerous situation given the time of day, with the truck heading for, Clinton, where there are several schools."
Some deflated tires & destroyed spike belts but otherwise this potentially dangerous incident came to a safe ending this morning. The driver failed to stop at a low speed before a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HuronOPP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HuronOPP</a> officer climbed onto the rig & managed to get the vehicle stopped east of Clinton. ^js <a href="https://t.co/ZrPEiaEHLy">pic.twitter.com/ZrPEiaEHLy</a>
—@OPP_WRThe truck was stopped near Front Road, about four kilometres east of Clinton, he said.
No one was hurt and there was no property damage.
Police suspect the driver had experienced a medical event but the incident remains under investigation.