A driver has perished in Pittsburg following a dramatic crash that imploded a big rig, destroyed two cars and crashed into a building.
A preliminary investigation has found that the big-rig was traveling north when it struck two vehicles and then the building, which became engulfed in flames, according to reports.
So far, Police believe in the possibility of brake failure being the cause of the crash due to eye-witnesses stating the driver was honking his horn and flashing his lights moments before the truck came to a grinding halt.
“It appears at this point at least that the driver of the truck tried to alert them,” said one officer.
Marvin Tompkins Doldol is a civilian whose car was damaged during the crash. He was quoted stating that he could ‘smell the clutch and brake’ as the truck careened down the street.
“In my rear view mirror” Doldol explains, “I saw the truck coming down really fast and I heard him trying to shift down to brake and as soon as he passed and saw him really close he hit the van in front of him after he hit the van in front of him he came into my lane and he drove all the way straight and I was pushed onto the corner.”
David Garner is another local civilian who was on his way to work when his car was struck by the big rig.
“He clipped me on the right-hand side, totaled the truck next to me and then went into the shopping center,” said Garner.
Gardner believes the truck driver did everything he could to minimize the impact.
“He tried to somehow go between us. He did everything he could,” said Gardner, who got choked up thinking about how close he came to serious injury. “It’s almost like a second chance at life. I could have died today.”
The building that the big-rig struck was fortunately unoccupied at the time. A second structure was also destroyed in the commercial area.
The roads leading to the crash zone remain closed while police investigated the fatal crash.
Special Thanks to Fox 2
