Local News in Brief : Irvine : Ensenada-Bound Truck Overturns, Crushes Car

A truck bound for Ensenada with a load of scrap lost a wheel, struck a center divider, then flipped onto a car, crushing it and seriously injuring its woman driver Monday, authorities said.

The truck driver, 56, of Ensenada, told police that the truck lost the wheel while traveling north on Culver Drive near Michelson Drive at about 5:30 p.m.

Valles said he first tried to avoid traffic by steering his disabled truck across the intersection at an angle, but he lost control when it struck the center divider.

“I noticed there were a lot of cars on one side, but there weren’t so many on the other. I went that way but (the truck) went over on its side,� Valles said in Spanish in an interview at the scene.

Dawn Marie Chrystal Fey, 27, of Irvine, who was inside the car, was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana for treatment of back injuries, Irvine Police Lt. Sam Allevato said. Valles was not injured.

Fey was stopped at the intersection and was about to make a left turn when Valles’ truck landed on top of her car, police said.

Valles, whose truck was laden with discarded bicycles, bicycle parts and other items he had collected at the Coyote Canyon landfill, said he was bound for Ensenada, where he planned to resell the load at a second-hand store.

The accident is under investigation.