Oregon Truck Driver Dies In Crash On Teton Pass

WILSON, Wyo. (AP) — A truck driver from Oregon was killed in a crash after his brakes failed while descending Teton Pass in northwestern Wyoming.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol said 36-year-old Jay P. Winn of Hines, Ore. was pulling a car crusher down the pass on Sunday when he lost control of his 1973 Peterbilt semi-trailer. He went off the right side of the road on the outskirts of the town of Wilson.

The Associated Press reports that the investigation found that the truck was nearly 30,000 pounds overweight.

The pass has a 60,000-pound weight limit because of its sharp curves and steep grades. Runaway trucks have been an ongoing problem there.

The portion of road where Winn lost his brakes has a 10 percent grade.