Sneeze Attack Causes 10-Car Pileup

By Bay City News

Ten vehicles were damaged when a man crashed his dump truck into a used car lot near San Leandro this morning, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

Antonio Zamora, 42, of Modesto, was driving a dump truck on East 14th Street just south of 162nd Avenue in Ashland at about 4:40 a.m. when he had an uncontrollable sneezing episode, CHP Officer Daniel Jacowitz said.

The sneezes resulted in Zamora inadvertently turning the dump truck to the right, causing it to crash into a parked Mitsubishi SUV, Jacowitz said.

The dump truck then slammed into a fence and drove into the United Auto Center used truck lot at 16230 East 14th St., damaging nine pickup trucks, according to Jacowitz.

The dump truck's gas tank ruptured in the accident, spilling about 30 gallons of diesel fuel, Jacowitz said.

Caltrans crews responded to the scene and absorbed the fuel, he said. No roads were closed during the cleanup.

The 10 vehicles the dump truck hit sustained moderate damage, and 40 feet of fencing was knocked down, Jacowitz said.

No injuries were reported.

Zamora is not believed to have been driving under the influence, and he was not cited, Jacowitz said.

An employee at United Auto Center declined to comment.