Trucker Drives Into Pond Off Of I-80, Swims To Safety

The Wyoming Highway Patrol says a Texas truck driver lost control of his rig on Friday and drove into a pond adjacent to Interstate 80 west of Laramie.

He was able to safely swim to shore, according to a post on the WHP Facebook page. According to the post, troopers were notified of an accident at 7:24 a.m. on Friday at milepost 297 west of Laramie. Investigators found that the truck had been westbound on icy roads on the interstate when the driver lost control of his commercial tractor-trailer.

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The rig exited the roadway on the right side and collided with a fence and guardrail before coming to rest in a pond off of the highway. The driver, who the WHP did not name, suffered minor injuries but was able to swim to shore.

He was treated at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie. The patrol says it was a good thing that the driver was wearing his seatbelt, which may have prevented him from being more severely injured.

Excessive speed for conditions is being investigated as a factor in the crash.