Polk County, TX — A Louisiana truck driver was rescued Wednesday morning after becoming trapped inside the crushed cab of an 18-wheeler following a collision involving two commercial trucks on U.S. 59 south, just south of Diboll.
According to a preliminary Texas Department of Public Safety investigation, the crash happened around 4:21 a.m.
DPS said a 1991 International truck tractor pulling a flatbed trailer was traveling south and attempted to turn back north through a crossover while a 2024 Freightliner pulling a box trailer was traveling north.
Investigators said the International failed to yield at a yield sign and entered the path of the Freightliner, which struck it.
The trapped driver was identified by the Lufkin Fire Department as Adoloph Ross of Elm Grove, Louisiana.
Fire officials said Ross remained conscious, alert and able to communicate with rescuers while crews worked to free him from the damaged cab, which was surrounded by steel poles.
The Lufkin Fire Department’s Special Operations team used heavy technical rescue equipment during the extraction.
Crews from Diboll VFD, Livingston VFD and Corrigan VFD also assisted, along with Allegiance EMS, Texas DPS troopers and TxDOT.
Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Watson said rescuers had to carefully lift the pipe without causing additional harm to Ross or putting first responders at risk.
The extraction took about an hour and a half.
Ross was transported by medical helicopter to a Houston hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Lufkin Fire said its Special Operations team is the only team within a 50-mile radius trained and equipped for this type of heavy rescue.
MOVE OVER OR SLOW DOWN
Motorists approaching emergency vehicles and personnel working along roadways should move over when possible and slow down. Give firefighters, law enforcement and other first responders plenty of room to work safely.