Tandem Truck Accident Snarls Church Hill Road, Exit 10

By Andrew Gorosko

A tandem tractor-trailer truck traveling on westbound Interstate 84’s Exit 10 off-ramp went out of control and traveled directly across Church Hill Road (Route 6) early Wednesday morning, damaging utility poles and lines, and destroying traffic signals, before careening down a steep embankment.

The accident caused the closure of a heavily traveled section of Church Hill Road near I-84, as well as the westbound Exit 10 ramps of I-84, for about eight hours as utility work crews started repairing the extensive damage.

Police said that trucker Richard D. Coyle, 57, of Dunmore, Penn., was driving a 2007 Volvo tractor southward on the Exit 10 off-ramp and was hauling a tandem trailer at about 3 am just before the incident occurred. Coyle was listed as a patient in fair condition in Danbury Hospital midafternoon on Wednesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman; he had been released by Thursday morning.

Police said that Coyle told them that two deer had run out in front of the traveling truck, so he swerved to avoid hitting them, but in doing so, he lost control of the vehicle on the wet pavement, resulting in the accident.

The large truck crossed through the intersection of the Exit 10 ramps and Church Hill Road, crashing into and severely bending a flex-beam metal guardrail positioned along the south side of Church Hill Road. The flexing guardrail served to slow the truck’s descent down a steep embankment near 68 Church Hill Road. Two sections of the three-section vehicle came to rest on the embankment, with the rear trailer remaining on Church Hill Road. The truck that Coyle was driving is registered to YRC, Inc, of Morton, Ill.

While traveling out-of-control through the intersection, the truck crashed into a pole that was used as a support for a set of traffic signals there. That impact caused the traffic signals to fall to the ground, destroying them.

Coyle told police he had been wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred. The trucker complained of chest and abdominal pain and was transported by Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members to the hospital, police said.

Police Patrol Officer Larissa Nosal, who investigated the crash, said the truck’s collision with one utility pole resulted in damage to three other utility poles because the lines linking the poles are under tension. Some skid marks were found at the crash scene, she said. The truck’s speed at the time of the crash is unclear, she said. Police said Coyle made a restricted turn.

Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead said that when firefighters arrived at the accident scene just after 3 am, they found what were apparently live electrical lines lying atop the truck’s cab and its front trailer.

Consequently, firefighters called in the Connecticut Light & Power Company (CL&P) to shut down the electricity there to prevent electrocution hazards, Chief Halstead said. CL&P arrived at the scene at 3:38 am to shut down power. Firefighters were thus able to remove Coyle from the truck’s cab by 3:55 am, the fire chief said.

Coyle was conscious and alert as firefighters worked to remove him from the cab. He aided firefighters in their efforts, Chief Halstead said.

As a precaution against any further injuries, firefighters placed a supportive collar around Coyle’s neck and placed him on a backboard for transport to the hospital, the fire chief said.

The truck’s front trailer was full of cargo including lubricants, small electric motors, and metal poles. The rear trailer contained no cargo.

The accident caused small spills of diesel fuel and motor oil, which firefighters isolated and contained, Chief Halstead said.

Heavy-wrecker crews came to the scene and removed the damaged truck and trailers within several hours.

Firefighters spent almost five hours at the accident scene.

Following the crash, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) closed the westbound Exit 10 ramps of I-84.

Also, closed to traffic was the section of Church Hill Road lying between its intersection with Walnut Tree Hill Road and its intersection with the eastbound Exit 10 ramps. In effect, the Church Hill Road bridge that crosses above I-84 was completely closed to traffic for about eight hours, from 3 to 11 am. Police directed motorists in the area to use Walnut Tree Hill Road, Schoolhouse Hill Road, and Edmond Road as a detour around the closed road section.

Initially, police reopened the closed section of Church Hill Road to alternating one-way traffic flow, to allow motorists to pass through the area as utility crews worked to replace damaged utility poles and replace equipment.

DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick said that the DOT may be able to replace the damaged traffic signals at the intersection by early next week, if a suitable aluminum support pole can be found to replace a damaged support pole.

If a suitable pole is not available, the DOT would need to order a new pole and make some temporary traffic signal installation at the intersection until a permanent repair can be made, he said.

The DOT has provided the town with a set of portable stop signs to regulate traffic flow at the heavily used intersection until the destroyed traffic signals can be replaced.

On Thursday morning, a set of stop signs controlled traffic at the end of westbound I-84’s Exit 10 off-ramps. Motorists on Church Hill Road had the right of way at the intersection.

CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross said that the accident did not cause power outages in the area, with electricity to local customers being rerouted after the accident occurred.