Truck driver ejected and airlifted after big rig crashes through Interstate 80 railing and dangles 80 feet over California bridge

A tractor-trailer broke through a railing on eastbound Interstate 80 near Floriston, Nevada County, leaving its cab suspended 80 feet in midair above a bridge. Rain and speed are thought to have contributed, with the truck striking the barrier and flipping onto its side. The driver was thrown clear of the vehicle, came to rest on an embankment below, and was airlifted to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno with major injuries. Eastbound lanes remained closed for several hours while crews detached the tractor from its trailer, and the road was finally reopened just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

The timing was particularly unfortunate for Bay Area travellers bound for Burning Man, which draws around 80,000 people to nearby Black Rock City.

CHP photos showed the cab hanging in midair, the freeway railing heavily damaged, with no other vehicles involved.

Officers said rain and speed caused the truck to hit the barrier and flip, sending the driver through the side of the cab.