A truck driver is facing multiple charges after striking an overpass on Highway 417 and causing serious traffic backups in downtown Ottawa.
Ontario Provincial Police say a dump truck was travelling eastbound with its “box raised” at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday when it struck the Lees Avenue overpass. The truck lost its load, which consisted of dirt and other debris, including wood boards.
The Ministry of Transportation was called to assess the scene and found the damage to the bridge to be minimal, OPP Const. Michael Fathi said in an email.
The driver was charged with several violations including insecure load, fail to surrender drivers’ licence, careless driving, unsafe motor vehicle and fail to surrender insurance card.
The driver was also issued a Part 3 summons and will be required to attend court at a later date.
OPP added on social media that two drivers were charged for driving past the crash scene while using their cell phones. Police issued both drivers a $615 ticket and will face a three-day driving suspension if convicted.
These two drivers thought it was a good idea to drive past police cars in traffic while using their cellphones. #OttawaOPP issued both drivers a $615 ticket for their troubles. This occurred while traffic continues to be backed up due to the dump truck that lost its load and… pic.twitter.com/9Wk55ZTBHE
— OPP East Region (@OPP_ER) March 11, 2025
Two lanes of Highway 417 were closed, causing serious traffic in the area. Police noted there was “significant damage” to the truck.
All lanes have since reopened.
