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Last updated on Wednesday, May 17, 2017
(ORLEANS) - The driver of a tri-axle dump truck, 73-year-old Charles Hounshell died after crashing into the building of a former used car lot in Orleans on Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities are still investigating to determine what caused Hounshell's dump truck to crash into an unoccupied building on State Road 37.
Orange County Coroner Aaron Kemple says that today an autopsy will be performed today and might answer that question. It's unknown whether a medical issue might have led to the accident.
When Orange County Sheriff deputies arrived on the scene at the former J&R Auto dealership on State Road 37, located about four miles south of Orleans, they found the impact of the dump truck had caused the front half of the building to collapse.
The truck owned by Riverview Farms of Orleans was carrying three-fourths of a full load of gravel at the time of the wreck.
Orange County Sheriff Babcock says the impacted knocked the front of the building out from under the roof.
The accident remains under investigation.
Police are not sure what caused the driver to leave the roadway, hit an embankment and then crash into the building.
Witnesses at the scene told police they heard a loud explosion just before the dump truck crashed into the building.
Sheriff Babcock says that explosion may have been related to the front passenger-side steer tire.
Traffic on State Road 37 was slowed to one lane while police investigated the accident.
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