Transport gets stuck in mud avoiding collision

A transport carrying a load of shingles is stuck alongside Highway 401 between Trenton and Belleville after taking to the ditch to avoid colliding with a car on May 9, 2011. Photo by Jennifer Bowman

Traffic on the Highway 401 westbound near Belleville was reduced to one lane Monday when a transport took to the ditch to avoid a collision, said police.

Police said a transport loaded with shingles got stuck in the soft, muddy ditch beside the 401 when the driver tried to avoid rear-ending a car. The car cut in front of the truck and stopped short, causing the truck driver to steer into the ditch just outside the construction zone between the Loyalist Wallbridge exit in Belleville and the Glen Miller exit in Trenton.

Tow trucks work to free a transport from the mud beside the westbound Hwy 401 just west of Belleville on Monday, May 9. Photo by Jennifer Bowman

The incident took place around 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Two tow trucks worked unsuccessfully to free the truck, which was stuck up to its rims in mud.

The highway was reduced to one lane overnight until a crane was brought to free the truck on Tuesday.