An accident-plagued stretch of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge saw its first fatality Monday when the driver of a speeding big rig lost control and the truck plummeted 200 feet from the span, authorities said. The truck hauling a full load of pears was traveling about 50 mph _ 10 mph over the speed limit _ when the driver lost control on a westbound S-curve, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Trent Cross said. The rig hit a rail and went over the side, landing on Yerba Buena Island. "The driver was going way too fast," Cross said. The name of the trucker killed in the crash was not released. Authorities said the speed coupled with the shifting load propelled the truck over the side of the bridge. Lanes were closed following the pre-dawn crash, backing up traffic during the morning commute. The California Department of Transportation plans to replace roadway markers Monday night that were damaged during the crash, spokesman Bart Ney said. The agency also plans to add reflective paint to the railing that motorists can see as they go through the curve, he said. Continued... |