Seat belt likely reason semi driver walked away from 40-foot fall

Police says a lap and shoulder seat belt is likely the reason a Texas semi tractor-trailer driver walked away after his cab fell nearly 40 feet off Interstate 380 Monday afternoon.

Joseph Karichu, 41, of Colony, Texas, was taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Hospital and later released after the freak accident.

Police say Karichu was traveling north on I-380 near the curve just before the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids when he swerved to miss a car and hit the guardrail sending the semi up and over the railing.

The trailer remained on I-380 but the cab fell to the ground below landing upside down near First Avenue NW.

Karichu was cited by police for failure to maintain control. His semi is registered to Central Refrigration Service of West Valley, Utah.

The accident happened at 2:55 p.m. and slowed traffic until about 8 p.m.