Cement truck flips

Truck driver Daniel Martin told police he was about a quarter-mile from the bottom of the hill when he realized his brakes failed.

Barreling south down Newport Coast Drive toward East Coast Highway at between 45 and 50 mph with about 4,000 pounds of wet cement in tow, Martin was running out of options, he told Newport Beach police Friday morning.

“I had my foot all the way down [on the brake], and I got nothing,” Martin told traffic investigators.

Martin wanted to make a left, but running out of room with no brakes, he told police he chose right and hoped his truck could negotiate the rounded-off turn. It didn’t.

Just after 10:30 a.m., Martin’s AKW Materials Ready Mix truck cornered onto East Coast Highway and flipped onto its left side, spilling diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid across the highway. His truck cab was thrown into disarray; shattered glass and papers were everywhere.

Martin suffered a few scrapes and bruises. No one else was injured.

Police issued a SigAlert for westbound traffic on East Coast Highway. Westbound lanes on the highway west of Newport Coast Drive were shut down for more than five hours.

As of late Friday afternoon, accident investigators were unable to find any indication that the brakes failed, police officials said.

Martin said he only checked his oil because he had no problems with the truck the night before.

Martin did not appear to be under the influence at the time of the crash, authorities said. Police are continuing to investigate whether Martin’s speed was the primary factor for the crash.

The crash was similar to an accident there about a year ago, police said. Since then, police have increased enforcement on commercial vehicle safety standards, assigning a task force to conduct safety checks, Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

— Daniel Tedford contributed to this report.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].