Wine tanker gets a little tipsy. 6,000 gallons down the drain after crash near Richland
A flipped semi truck and tanker was dumping thousands of gallons of wine into a Benton City storm drain on Wednesday.
The driver was heading west on Interstate 82 with a load of red wine from a Tri-City-area winery when it tipped over at 11:15 a.m.
He was going too fast when he reached the roundabout that connects First Street and Highway 224, said Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Thorson.
The crash broke open the 6,000-gallon tanker and was spilling wine onto the road and into the storm drain.
According to dispatch reports, the Washington Department of Ecology was called about how to handle the spill.
The crash left the driver with an injured nose, according to initial reports.
No other vehicles were involved, but the crash was expected to leave the roundabout partially closed for a few hours while they get the truck back on its wheels.
It’s recommended that drivers alternate routes through the area.
This story is developing. Please check back later.
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 12:12 PM.