This is the shocking moment an 18-wheeler collides with a utility worker who is suspended in mid-air, causing him to flip upside down and hang perilously above a busy road in Louisiana.
Shocking dashcam footage captures the worker, strapped into a bucket lift, get violently hit while fixing a traffic light in Denham Springs.
The large truck takes a wide turn and crashes into the lifted basket from beneath, flipping the worker in a frightening instant while cars pass by underneath.
The terrifying clip, first shared by Louisiana First News, was captured on Wednesday near Range Avenue at I-12.
It quickly went viral, sparking a heated blame game across social media.
“He nearly fell out of the bucket but thank God for that safety harness,” one viewer wrote.
Another clip posted on Facebook shows the huge rig grazing the underside of the lift as it attempts to maneuver the tight turn.
The worker could be seen visibly jolted by the impact and left dangling by his gear over the road.
“I don’t understand how that truck could have made its turn without hitting a pole on either side without colliding with the truck,” stated Fred Raiford, the East Baton Rouge Parish Director of Transportation, in an interview with WBRZ-TV.
Surprisingly, Denham Springs Police confirmed the man suffered only minor injuries and was not taken to hospital.
“That is a mandate we have — when you’re in that bucket truck you’ll have that harness on,” Raiford added.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has now launched an investigation into the incident, alongside Denham Springs Police, to determine if any charges will be filed.
Online, furious users argued over who should be held responsible — the truck driver or the work crew.
“Well somebody just lost their trucking license,” one user fumed.
“Take the next four to six weeks off and hire a great lawyer to sue the trucking company. Set for life,” another said.
“No way? they didn’t even try to avoid the worker! I hope the man is okay,” one shocked viewer commented.
Others hit back, blaming the utility company for failing to properly secure the site.
“Not the truck driver’s fault. They should have closed the lane. I sense big trouble from OSHA and DOT coming their way…” one person wrote.
“That’s on the utility company. Lane should’ve been blocked, spotter wasn’t watching incoming traffic,” said another.
“Not the driver’s fault… The work crew had no lane restrictions in place and the basket was obviously below 13’ 9” height,” added a third.
As the investigation continues, officials say safety precautions like lane closures, cones, and signage are sometimes required — but not always — depending on the work zone setup.
“Safety is always the number one priority for us,” Raiford emphasized.
No one else was injured in the crash.
