Ditched Semi Blocks SR 28 Near Trinidad In Douglas County

There are no injuries, but traffic was blocked for a time Tuesday after a semi became ditched on State Route 28 near Trinidad. 

State Patrol Trooper Jeremy Weber says the semi was eastbound in the left lane of two lanes traveling up a hill when a car in front slowed abruptly to allow traffic to merge in front. 

"The semi-truck attempted to try to not collide into that car, which they didn't, they avoided that," said Weber. "But in doing so, they moved to the right-hand lane and didn't get stopped in time, and it went off the roadway into a ditch."  

The semi-truck was pulling two trailers, which ended up blocking both eastbound lanes of SR 28. 

Traffic was backed up while the semi cleared from the scene this Tuesday morning in the 9am hour 

The crash is under investigation. Weber said the car's driver was likely trying to be courteous in allowing other vehicles to merge in front, but did not account for the semi behind that couldn't slow down in time.

The semi driver was 64-year-old Daniel Tidwell of Wenatchee. 

The crash occurred at about 8:45am.