Tanker overturns at Pacific Avenue, Hwy 95

A tanker truck carrying used vegetable oil rolled over in a busy Yuma intersection Thursday afternoon, causing major traffic delays and injuring the driver.

According to fire inspector Kayla Holiman of the Yuma Fire Department, the accident occurred at about 3:15 p.m. at 16th Street and Pacific Avenue.

According to Sgt. Brian Scanlan of the Yuma Police Department, the 4,500-gallon tanker, southbound on Pacific Avenue, failed to negotiate a left turn onto eastbound 16th Street.

The driver, identified as 63-year-old Claude Fincher Jr. of Wellton, was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

During the accident, the tanker also sheared a power pole at its base, which caused a localized power outage and a small brush fire that was quickly contained.

Preliminary investigation of the accident, according to Scanlan, indicates a possible malfunction within the tanker's braking system .

Holiman said about 2,000 gallons of used vegetable oil were spilled as result of the accident but that it didn't spill onto the highway. "It spilled into a basin that is next to the road."

Scanlan said rush-hour traffic was diverted from the intersection, and the road would remain closed for approximately two more hours.

The spilled vegetable oil will be removed from the basin, according to Holiman, either by the owner or YFD.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anybody with any information about this accident to please call Investigator Randy Thompson at 373-4750.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.