Dump Truck Flips, Snarls Rt. 46 Traffic for Hours Wednesday

An overturned dump truck that took down a utility pole caused a traffic nightmare Wednesday, closing part of Rt. 46 in Mt. Olive and diverting traffic to and from Rt. 80.

Just before 11 a.m. Mt. Olive police received numerous phone calls about an overturned truck between Village Way and International Drive, Cpl. Eric Anthony said.

Once police arrived they found Renso Arango, 49, of Fort Lee was driving a 2005 Westinghouse truck when the dump body of his vehicle began to lift while in transit, Anthony said. While traveling, the raised dump body struck a utility wire connecting poles across Rt. 46, Anthony said.

The tension of the wire pulled the dump truck, forcing it to fall onto its side as well as tearing down utility wires and uprooting utility poles, Anthony said. 

Arango had minor injuries and was transported to Hackettstown Regional Medical Center.

Detours were set up in the area and police had the roadway closed until 4:30 p.m. An earlier report from police said the road would be closed until 6 p.m.

The investigation is ongoing and no summonses have been issued.