Truck Drives on Bike Trail, Goes Airborne and Lands in Lumber Yard

By: 10/11 News Email

Updated: Tue 5:49 AM, Feb 12, 2013

Lincoln Fire and Rescue crews responded to a rollover crash near 24th and W.

It happened in the 900 Block of North 24th Street just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday. LPD said when officers got to the scene, they found a truck on its side on top of a pile of wood in Lincoln Lumber Company.

After an initial investigation LPD determined the driver of the truck was driving on the MOPAC trail, then hit a pile of dirt launching the truck into the air and into the Lincoln Lumber Company property.

LPD said after the truck launched into the air, it took out a chain link fence.

LFR said the driver of the truck was taken to Bryan West Campus with non-life threatening injuries.

Police say alcohol likely played a factor in the crash.

On some trails have ballards or metal cylinders prevent people from driving on the paths but this section doesn't have any.

"Cyclists don't like ballards on trails. We try to minimize where we put them so that's why we strategically locate them," said Terry Genrich, Lincoln Parks and Rec.

Those locations include trail bridges and busy intersections, areas where traffic could easily mistake the path for a road. But Parks and Rec say that's nearly impossible to do in this area.

"It just doesn't happen that often. In this location in particular, I don't know where the vehicle was coming from, but if they were on 26th Street they would have had to make a really hard right turn to get on the trail at that location," said Genrich.

The ballards are also hard to see in the dark and are often taken out during the winter months for snow removal.

Heineman Vetoes $44.6M From State Budget