Oregon man airlifted to hospital after cement truck crash in Malta

MALTA – An Oregon man was airlifted to a Rockford hospital after he suffered serious injuries in a rollover cement truck crash in Malta Tuesday morning, according to DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

Dale Flanagan, 56, had to be cut out of a fully loaded 2019 Peterbilt cement truck on Malta Road around 11 a.m. on April 11 after his truck rolled onto its driver side, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office officials said.

“He had serious injuries but I don’t believe they were life threatening,” Lt. Dave Aranda of the sheriff’s office said.

According to a news release from sheriff’s office, the crash happened because the vehicle drove over gravel on the road’s shoulder. Police said the gravel road allegedly caused Flanagan to oversteer – when a driver turns the wheel too much while reacting to a sudden loss of grip – into the southbound lane, back onto the gravel shoulder, then cross back over the southbound lane and roll onto its driver side.

Aranda said he received reports that Flanagan was conscious and breathing, but trapped inside the cabin of his truck.

Fire Departments from Malta, DeKalb, Sycamore and Rochelle responded to the scene. By the time Aranda had arrived, crews had already freed Flanagan from the truck, he said.

Malta Road was closed between Twombly and Rich roads for a couple of hours – from about 11 a.m. to just after 1 p.m. – Aranda said.

Aranda shared a message for drivers in DeKalb County.

“Wear your seatbelt and don’t let anything distract you while driving.”