Exit 10—

Tractor-Trailer Rollover Traps Driver In Vehicle 

By Andrew Gorosko

A tractor-trailer truck loaded with US mail, which was traveling on the Exit 10 off-ramp of westbound Interstate 84, rolled over at about 11:10 pm on Thursday, May 26, trapping the injured driver inside.

State police closed the westbound off-ramp and on-ramp there for about seven hours, diverting traffic to other westbound highway interchanges.

State police said that Lawrence Cahill, 50, of Chippewa Falls, Wisc., was driving a 2006 Freightliner truck hauling a trailer, when, as he came to the end of a sharp curve on the Exit 10 off-ramp, he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over onto its side on the left road shoulder, trapping Cahill in the driver’s seat.

State police said Cahill later told them that he was traveling too fast and that he was not familiar with the area.

Sandy Hook firefighters responded to the accident to extricate the trapped man from the truck. Newtown Volunteer Ambulance volunteers and the on-call paramedic responded and later transported Cahill to Danbury Hospital, where he was treated for two broken legs, state police said.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company Chief Bill Halstead said Cahill’s extrication from the truck’s cab was the most complex and difficult driver extrication in the past several years.

Firefighters needed to use a variety of hand tools and power tools to release the driver from his trapped position, the fire chief said.

The delicate rescue work needed to be done slowly. It required 78 minutes to free the man from the wreckage, Chief Halstead said.

Firefighters carefully took apart the truck’s cab to release the driver from vehicular wreckage which had been pinning his legs in place.

Cahill  was in pain, but was conscious, alert and cooperative, Chief Halstead said.

The truck received heavy damage in the accident and was towed from the scene. The trailer containing the cargo of mail did not break open in the crash.

The accident occurred when the road was dry and traffic was light, state police said.

State police said that they issued Cahill an infraction ticket for traveling too fast for conditions.