The driver who lost control of his semi-truck and crashed into a utility bridge on I-10 near Mesa last Thursday apologized to El Pasoans for the two-day traffic headache he caused.

"I'm sorry for all the inconvenience I caused," Abel Garcia told Newschannel 9. "I didn't do it on purpose though, it was an accident that just happened."

El Paso police called it a case of distracted driving. A spokesman for the trucking company that employs him told several media outlets Garcia was reaching for a bottle of water and over-corrected after losing control.

In a phone interview from his home in Phoenix, Garcia admitted to the TV station he was reaching for water but said he believes one of the tires blew out simultaneously causing him to lose control and sending the rig careening up the embankment and crashing into a utility bridge before bursting into flames.

Miraculously, Garcia was able to crawl out of the burning cab sustaining only minor injuries.

I took my seatbelt off, kicked the windshield and crawled out,"Garcia said in a phone interview from his home in Phoenix, AZ. "I thought, 'I hope I didn't hurt or kill anyone.'" He suffered burns to his feet and an injured shoulder. -- KTSM/Newschannel 9

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