Big rig driver goes over embankment on narrow section of State Route 175

A truck driver hauling plywood on Thursday afternoon tried to drive through a narrow turn on State Route 175, slid down an embankment and walked away unharmed.

The driver, identified by the CHP as 39-year-old Christopher Cortez, of Lodi, drove his big rig on a one-lane section near the Lake-Mendocino County line restricted to vehicles longer than 39 feet. It’s unclear how long his rig was but authorities said it far exceeded that maximum length.

Cortez, who was wearing a seatbelt, declined medical attention after the crash, said Kiuya Brown, a special duty officer for the CHP’s Ukiah division.

“He was very lucky and he knew that,” Brown said.

The incident happened at 1:25 p.m. about 5 miles east of Hopland where the state road was reduced to a single lane where Caltrans built a retaining wall to support a nearby hillside.

Posted signs on the state route warn drivers that vehicles longer than 39 feet are prohibited from passing through, said Phil Frisbie Jr., a Caltrans spokesman. The big rig far exceeded that length, Brown said.

Cortez might be cited for failing to obey a regulatory sign, Brown said. The incident remained under investigation Friday afternoon.

The highway is a popular commuter route for Lake County residents who work in northern Sonoma County.

A similar incident involving an overturned semi-truck closed State Route 175 at the same area for several hours in January, Frisbie said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.