BOSTON (WHDH) – Motorists heading into Boston were forced to deal with major traffic delays Thursday morning after a tractor-trailer driver clipped the top of the O’Neill Tunnel, sending debris flying through the air.
And now the driver, 59-year-old Bryan Elliot, of Ontario, Canada, is saying he is sorry for the traffic aftermath, but that this was an accident and nothing more.
Remembering the hectic scene this morning, Elliot said, “I was through the tunnel, got three-quarters of the way through and it happened.”
Troopers responding to the southbound side of the highway near Exit 20 about 6 a.m. found a pair of disabled vehicles and debris from the toppled truck in the roadway, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Video shared by MassDOT shows several cars swerve out of the way at the last minute as the truck comes to a screeching stop in the middle travel lane.
“You couldn’t see nothing for a few minutes because of the dust,” Elliot said.
All lanes have since been reopened in the tunnel and the destroyed truck has been towed away.
Residual delays of more than 90 minutes took place throughout the morning. Traffic on the Zakim Bridge was at a standstill for several hours.
Elliot has been ticketed for overheight and overwidth truck, state police say.
He is making his way back to Ontario and is thankful that no one was hurt.
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