Truck overturns, spills PVC pipe onto roadway below

An 18-wheeler carrying a huge load of blue PVC pipe overturned in north Austin Monday afternoon sending the pipes crashing down onto the traffic below and causing 2 accidents.

According to Austin Police, the driver of the 18-wheeler was going southbound on 183 to the 45 flyover when the driver lost control and hit the wall.  EMS responded to 2 crashes on the roads below as a result of the falling pipe.  Only one person had minor injuries.  The truck driver also wasn't seriously hurt.  We spoke with a couple of people who saw this happen.

"I saw the truck being flipped over and another car at the bottom of the highway.  It looked like it hit something and flipped over several times," said Sophia Karinkhani who works nearby

"I felt the floor shake for about 4 or 5 seconds.  That's what got me scared because I'm used to earthquakes in California," said Bryan Deras who works at the IHOP.  "What got me even more shocked was to see the driver open the door and get out perfectly unharmed.  It was crazy."

APD now says the truck driver was carrying 70 to 80 of the pipes and has been cited for failure to control speed.