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Dump Truck Accident Kills Driver

In Jacksonville, a dump truck flipped on Interstate 10 on Tuesday morning, December 16, 2008.  The retired truck driver who was operating the vehicle was killed in the accident.  According to his family, he was only driving the dump truck as a favor for his son.

The crash occurred near Chaffee Road when 62-year-old Quincell Troutman lost control of the dump truck, said Florida Highway Patrol.

Investigators stated that Troutman was traveling westbound when the dump truck veered off the road, went through a guardrail and smashed into the support tower for an electronic message board, which caused it to collapse onto the eastbound lanes of the road.

A witness told investigators that the dump truck had a tire blowout.  Suzette Mitchell, Troutman’s girlfriend for nearly ten years, was especially horrified by the images of the shattered dump.

"His son called me and told me there had been an accident, but he didn't know how serious it was. Then his girlfriend called back later crying, and I knew," said Mitchell.

She also told Channel 4 reporter Vickie Pierre that Troutman had recently retired from his work in transportation.  Mitchell said Troutman was delivering a load of rocks on Tuesday morning as a favor for his son.

Troutman will be remembered by his family and friends for his unique sense of humor, which they loved.  They said that they know the holidays will be difficult without Troutman.

"Sometimes he would say things and it was seeming so sincere, but in the meantime, he was joking," family friend Fannie Bowers said.

Troopers believe that a tire blowout is what likely caused the fatal accident.  I-10 was closed due to the damage from the crash in both directions for over an hour.  The highway was reopened that afternoon.

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