Food bank benefits from overturned turkey truck

SAN RAMON, Calif., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Authorities in California said up to 30,000 pounds of frozen Butterball turkeys are being donated to a food bank after the truck carrying them overturned.

The California Highway Patrol said the truck carrying a load of frozen turkeys destined for a Costco store overturned in the early hours Wednesday in a southbound off-ramp from Interstate Highway 680 in San Ramon.

The driver was treated for minor injuries, and a passenger was uninjured, police said.

The ramp was closed for several hours Wednesday morning while crews worked to clear spilled diesel fuel from the road.

The highway patrol said the turkeys can't be sold in stores after being spilled on the road, but they were kept safe in cardboard boxes and a health inspector approved them for donation to the Alameda County Food Bank in Oakland.

Food bank spokesman Michael Altfest told KPIX-TV the turkey donation is a "holiday miracle."

"This is a fantastic windfall as our Food Bank heads into one of the busiest times of year," Altfest told KNTV. "Receiving this volume of meat protein is rare for us any time of year -- and a donation like this simply couldn't come at a better time. This is going to add a significant helping of holiday joy to thousands of households throughout our community."