Semi flips, spilling apples NW of Prineville

A California apple truck driver said he swerved to avoid a deer standing in the middle of a Crook County road early Thanksgiving Day, causing the semi to roll onto its side and spill most of the fruit, and diesel fuel as well, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies responded around 1:15 a.m. to the reported rollover crash on NW Lone Pine Road at Smith Rock Way, east of Terrebonne and about 15 miles northwest of Prineville, said sheriff’s Deputy Mitch Madden.

Deputies arrived to find a red 2001 Peterbilt semi on its side off the west side of the road near the intersection, having spilled most of its load into a nearby field, Madden said. It also was leaking a large amount of diesel out of its tanks and also lost a considerably amount of oil, he added.

An investigation found that the driver, Fernando Diez-Bonilla, 31, of Fresno, was heading south on Lone Pine Road, negotiating the corner at Smith Rock Way, when he swerved to miss the deer and lost control, rolling the semi on its side.

Madden said AMAF Environmental and Active Towing were on scene for several hours, cleaning up the apples and the hazardous materials spill.

The driver was unhurt in the crash, and no citations were issued, Madden said.