A semi truck carrying beer overturned on Calle Real in Santa Barbara Tuesday when the driver hit a guardrail, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Emergency personnel responded at about 10 a.m. to the accident, which occurred on Calle Real between State Street and Highway 154, said Sgt. Riley Harwood.
No one was injured in the accident, Harwood said.
The truck appeared to have hit the guardrail and overturned while making “some kind of improper turning maneuver,” maybe going too fast or just cutting the turn too sharply, Harwood said.
The truck was reportedly leaking some fuel, so authorities were dealing with that issue and blocking some traffic in the area, Harwood said.
Harwood heard from a dispatcher that the truck was carrying beer.
“That’s probably the biggest tragedy of all if that’s true,” he laughed.
The roads was closed for several hours to haul away the vehicle and clean up after a minor gas spill.
The diesel fuel tank below the truck’s trailer ruptured during the accident and required the City Fire Department to send a hazardous materials response team to the scene, Fire Inspector Ryan DiGuilio said. The leak was quickly contained and multiple heavy-duty tow trucks were needed to upright the tractor and trailer and remove them from the scene. The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the SBPD and California Highway Patrol, he said.
About an hour later, police and fire personnel responded to a separate three-car injury accident near Santa Barbara City College, on West Montecito Street near Rancheria Street.
A driver was traveling eastbound on West Montecito Street and made a left turn onto Cliff Drive, Harwood said. The car was hit by a westbound car traveling on Cliff Drive and that second car was pushed into oncoming traffic, where it had a head-on collision with a third car. All vehicles were heavily damaged and four people were taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The injuries were all external, including injuries from air bags deploying, Harwood said.
The accident is still under investigation but appears to be caused by a right-of-way violation and unsafe turning movement, he said.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.