Santa Cruz Sentinel, Santa Cruz, CA

Cops and Courts: April 30, 2008
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Article Launched: 04/30/2008 01:33:13 AM PDT

Semi sideswipes two cars on 129

An El Mexicano semi heading east on Highway 129 sideswiped a Ford Mustang and a Dodge Shadow about 7 p.m. Tuesday, blocking both lanes of traffic for an hour and sending one person to the hospital.

The truck ended up partially down an embankment with the Mustang in the eastbound lane and the Dodge on the shoulder of the westbound lane near Thompson Road.

The driver of the Mustang was taken to Watsonville Community Hospital with minor injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP officer Seth Nelson said a car in front of the semi tried to make a left turn causing traffic to slow.

"It looks like he was going too fast and locked up his brakes," Nelson said of the driver of the semi, which then veered into oncoming traffic.

Luis A. Bravo, the uninjured driver of the Dodge, said the truck lost control and sideswiped both cars.

Bravo, who said he was "lucky," was working in the lettuce fields in Huron and was on his way home after his last day.

Nelson said it didn't appear that the semi driver, who was not injured, was impaired.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_9103886?IADID