Wreck shuts down Hwy. 180 lanes

By Sam Waller

A tractor-trailer carrying concrete conduits overturned and spilled its load on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 16, shutting down at least two lanes and at times all four lanes of U.S. Highway 180 on the east side of Albany for several hours.

Albany Police Chief Mike House said the driver of the westbound truck, registered to Man Transportation of Breckenridge, lost control, and the vehicle turned over as it negotiated the curve where 180 merges with Hill Street near the Allsup’s convenience store. 

The rig’s cargo, four conduits weighing 11,000 pounds each, came off the trailer.

“One of them rolled and took out a fence,” House said. “They also destroyed a couple of stop signs and ‘do not enter’ signs.”

House said the fence was located on private property.

The police chief added that the driver, Jose Jesus Palacios of Breckenridge, was cited for unsafe speed. Palacios was transported to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Breckenridge with minor injuries.

House said it took almost six hours from the time of the accident to clear and completely reopen the highway.

“The accident was called in at 3:51 a.m., and the time that we were cleared was 9:44 a.m.,” he said. “Abilene Wrecker was dispatched to help get it cleaned up.”

House said that both eastbound lanes were shut down for the entire clean-up time, and the westbound lanes were closed at times while the wrecker service was picking up and loading the damaged conduits.