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The truck's driver, who was flown by LifeStar helicopter to Savannah's Memorial University Medical Center, was speeding and driving erratically moments before the accident, witnesses told investigators. The driver's injuries were described as non life-threatening. A status update on his condition was not made available Thursday night.
Albert Loury, 44, of Garden City, Ga., was behind the wheel of the Blu-John of Savannah tanker around 5:30 p.m. near Lemon Island. He was headed west toward the Bluffton area, said Cpl. Paul Brouthers of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Witnesses told investigators Loury hit the median and lost control of the truck. The vehicle rolled on its side, pinning Loury in the cab, Brouthers said.
No charges had been filed against Loury as of Thursday night.
The sewage spilled out of the truck and poured into the Chechessee River near the Lemon Island Marina, Thom Berry, a DHEC spokesman said.
Berry said DHEC officials were on the scene Thursday night and had notified managers of Blu-John of Savannah about the spill. He said the company was in the process of hiring a contractor to clean up the mess.
A representative from Blu-John of Savannah could not be reached for comment Thursday night.
The environmental impact of such a spill would be minimal if clean-up efforts began immediately, Berry said. That work was expected to begin Thursday night, he said.
DHEC officials will remain on the scene until all the sewage and contaminated areas have been cleaned, Berry said. The agency will investigate the causes of the spill in the coming days and weeks, he said. Berry said that possible fines won't be issued until that investigation is complete.
The wreck backed up traffic for nearly two hours and was moving again by 7:30 p.m.
Many motorists left their cars to get a closer look. Some even walked their dogs as they waited, one witness said.
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, the Highway Patrol and the Bluffton Township Fire District responded to the scene.
