Body pulled from truck that plunged into canal

Divers pulled a man’s body from a fully submerged garbage truck that crashed into a 20-foot deep canal near mile marker 48 along Alligator Alley on Friday, authorities said.

The driver, who was not identified, was alone inside the truck, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane said.

Drivers reported that it was driving recklessly and swerving along Interstate 75. At about 12:53 p.m., a trooper tried to stop it, Feola said.

“A trooper locates it, tries to stop it with lights and sirens and the driver failed to stop,” Feola said. “It wasn’t a chase, but the truck wasn’t stopping.”

The truck, from Collier County, never drove at excessive speeds, Feola said.

“We’re investigating whether [the driver] had a medical incident or there was another cause,” Feola said. “We don’t know why the driver didn’t respond to lights and sirens or why he veered off the road.”

A spokeswoman from Waste Management said via email Friday evening: “Earlier today, a third-party vendor was driving a new Waste Management truck that was not yet in service in Collier County to a location in Broward County for a non-mechanical repair. Tragically, that driver was killed in an accident. Waste Management is working cooperatively with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office on the incident.”

At about 5:15 p.m., crews prepared to pull the truck from the canal, said Kane, of Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. Divers began their search at about 2 p.m.