The latest accident at the perilous intersection of the Chapala-Jocotepec highway and the Libramiento bypass that occurred on Sunday, November 26 had devastating consequences for a pair of innocent bystanders.
A cargo truck carrying a full load of rocks and rubble turned over while executing a sharp left-hand turn from the foot of the bypass. Two female pedestrians, both foreign nationals, sustained serious injuries when they were buried beneath the truck’s falling contents that spread out over the highway’s eastbound lane and lateral service road.
First responders extracted the wounded women from the debris and rushed them to the nearby Ribera Medical Center hospital for emergency attention. They were identified as Katrina Vale, 59, a resident of Chapala Haciendas, reported to be in grave condition from suffering a fractured femur and other injuries, and Ajijic resident Alexis N. Steinkampf, 54, who was hospitalized for treatment of hip and ankle injuries and multiple contusions.
The driver of the 16-ton Dina truck, Víctor Hugo “N”, 39, was detained at the scene while authorities assessed the cause and responsibility for the accident.
Traffic headed to Chapala was detoured until midday Wednesday, when work crews cleared the roadway and installed a traffic light to replace the one knocked down in the crash.