Keeping up with the local pro: Sumar’s weekly diary
October 16, 2012
Appellate bench draws 4
October 16, 2012
Visitors and citizens driving into Houma may have noticed a strange scene this morning near the twin spans.
A cement truck overtopped at the intersection of Main Street and New Orleans Boulevard, flipping into Bayou Terrebonne.
A crowd of gatherers from both Terrebonne General Medical Center and other nearby downtown businesses frequented the scene throughout the day to see the overtopped truck resting in about a foot of water in the near-stagnant bayou.
At 11:10 a.m., the Houma Police Department said they were called to the intersection in reference to a crash.
Once on the scene, officers say they learned that the cement truck was driving on Main Street and was set to make a left turn onto New Orleans Boulevard at a high rate of speed.
HPD Chief Todd Duplantis said the truck couldn’t negotiate the turn and lost control of the vehicle, flipping it into Bayou Terrebonne.
The truck’s driver has been identified as Deree D. Kendrick, 25, of North Bayou Black Drive, Houma.
Police say he escaped the wrecked vehicle uninjured and has been cited with careless operation.
Police say the cement truck had nine yards of concrete within it at the time of the crash.
Authorities say the truck weighs 40,000 pounds and the cement within it weighs 30,000 pounds.
A layer of boom was placed around the truck to stop leaking oil from spreading within the bayou.
The intersection remained closed throughout Tuesday as authorities waited for a crane to lift the vehicle out of the water.
