A Sinclair Oil semi rolled over today and spilled gallons of gas when the driver lost control of the vehicle in the westbound lane of Interstate 70 near Vail Pass.
The crash caused a shutdown of traffic on the highway that lasted into the evening, officials said.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., officials announced that the interstate had reopened.
Police Chief Dwight Henninger said a 911 dispatcher received a call about 9:29 a.m. from the driver saying his truck was out of control.
“The phone went dead and he had the accident,” Henninger said.
Officials rushed to the scene, about a mile east of Vail, and found that the truck had crashed in the area of a runaway truck ramp, officials say.
The driver in serious condition and was taken to Vail Valley Medical Center and later transfered to a Denver hospital.
Vail town spokeswoman Jamie Wilson identified the driver as Verl Kingsford, 54, of Fairplay.
Skid marks from where the truck lost control start at the bridge; about a quarter mile from the bridge going west, the truck rolled over to its side, Henninger said.
The crash caused two holes in the truck’s tank and a gas spill. However, the fuel was contained to the immediate area, Henninger said.
Traffic was diverted to exit at Copper Mountain and using State Highway 91 as an alternate route through Leadville.
