Trucker avoids serious injury during Friday rollover

A California man escaped injury during a single freightliner rollover that occurred July 29 about two miles west of Clarendon.

According to Department of Public Safety Trooper Chad Simpson, Jose Quinones, age 50, from Long Beach, Calif., was traveling northwest bound on US 287 at 7:59 a.m. in the inside lane, and the outside lane was closed and barricaded with construction barrels.

The left wheels of the freightliner traveled off the roadway and into the muddy center median, and the left wheels dug into the mud, pulling the freightliner into the center median. Quinones overcorrected while steering to the right, sliding the freightliner sideways across the northwest bound lanes of US 287 and rolling onto its left side into the north ditch.

Perry Harrision of Bismarck, Illinois, told the Enterprise that he witnessed the accident.
“He got into that construction area and lost control,” Harrison said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life.”

In order to free Quinones from the vehicle, the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department had to cut him out. Simpson said Quinones suffered no injuries, and no citations were issued.

Responding to this accident were DPS, Donley County Sheriff’s Office, Associated Ambulance Authority, Clarendon VFD, and the Texas Department of Transportation.