Fatal Truck Accident Slows Quartzsite RV Traffic

RVers and other motorists heading west on Interstate 10 through Quartzsite last Friday struggled when traffic backed up for miles near the scene of a two semi-truck accident on the highway. Around 5:00 am, a slowly rolling tractor trailer rig hauling a load of cotton was heading west on I-10, just west of marker 17, the “Burger King” exit.

Another semi, evidently hauling a load of fruit, driven by North Carolina driver Warren Love made a rapid acceleration down the ramp and onto the highway. For reasons that may never be known, Love struck the back of the slower rig with such force that the cab of Love’s rig was virtually demolished. Fire broke out, engulfing both rigs. While the driver and the passenger of the rear-ended rig were able to bail out of their truck safely, the same was not so for Love. He died in the accident.

At least one lane of the interstate was closed for several hours while crews worked to clean up the mess. One complication to the matter, we were told by Department of Public Safety officials, was the rig hauling cotton. While the major inferno was extinguished, the load of cotton continued to smolder for some time, and crews had to wait until it cooled down before it could be removed safely.

photo: R&T DeMaris