Canadian trucker hauling oversize load hit Washington interstate bridge: police

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – The Washington State Patrol has confirmed that an Edmonton-area trucker was at the wheel of a semi that struck a bridge on a busy interstate highway, sending part of the span thundering into a river below.

The patrol says William Scott, a 41-year-old resident of Spruce Grove, was hauling a large load Thursday night and hit a girder of the bridge over the Skagit River on Interstate 5, about 100 kilometres north of Seattle.

Sgt. Kirk Rudeen (roo-DEEN’ says Scott was heading south with a large steel casing for a drilling rig when the right front corner of the load struck a support girder.

Rudeen says the collision appears to have led to the collapse of the span just seconds later and two vehicles plunged into the cold swift-flowing river.

Three people were rescued and were treated and released from hospital.

Rudeen says Scott made it off the bridge and remained at the scene to speak to investigators.

— With files from The Associated Press