AKRON, Ohio (AP) - Witnesses say the driver of a 12-wheel dump truck sounded his horn and frantically waved his arms to warn bystanders as his out-of-control vehicle sped down an incline toward a plaza and an intersection before crashing into an Ohio river.
The truck hauling sand became submerged upside down in the Cuyahoga River on Thursday, and the driver, Christopher Burgess of Ravenna, died. No other injuries were reported.
Akron police say it appears the truck's air brakes failed. They estimate the truck's speed was 50 mph.
Witnesses praised the driver for maneuvering around a busy intersection, pedestrians and a strip mall. Driver Trista Merendino watched the scene and told the Akron Beacon Journal it was clear Burgess sacrificed himself to save other people.