Hwy. 46 crash between big rig and tow truck to slow traffic for hours near Shandon

A crash on Highway 46 East between a tow truck and a big rig slowed traffic for hours Thursday morning near Shandon, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision around 7:35 a.m. on Highway 46 East just east of Lucy Brown Road.

The crash involved two drivers, Joe Padilla, 54, from Bakersfield and Jose Casas, 47, from Indiana, who each sustained minor injuries but did not need to be transported to the hospital, according to a news release. Padilla had visible injuries and was treated on the scene.

According to the CHP, Padilla was driving eastbound on Highway 46 East in a 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 flatbed truck and Casas was driving westbound in a 2018 Freightliner tractor and 53-foot semi trailer loaded with produce.

Padilla told the CHP he fell asleep while driving and drifted into the westbound lane, sideswiping the big rig, according to the release.

The collision freed the rear axle of the semi trailer from the Freightliner, causing the two trucks to cross lanes.

The trailer from the big rig crossed the eastbound lane before coming to rest atop a concrete bridge rail over Cholame Creek, blocking the eastbound lane, the release said. The Dodge Ram crossed the westbound lane and ended up on the north shoulder of the road, the CHP said.

West Coast Tow responded to the scene to recover the trailer, according to the release. The eastbound lane was expected to reopen around noon or 1 p.m.

This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 9:04 AM.