WORLAND — A Powell driver who started choking on some food ended up across the highway through a right-of-way fence and in a canal Monday afternoon.

According to Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Brandon Kidgell, Stephen Swander, 60, of Powell was driving a truck and trailer registered to Admiral Beverage northbound on U.S. 20, south of Worland.

“The driver said he started choking on some food he was eating,” Kidgell said, adding that Swander started to pass out and was trying hard to maintain consciousness. “The next thing he knew he was basically in that ditch, in the canal,” Kidgell said.

He said evidence shows Swander was northbound, drifted off the roadway to the right, striking a delineator pole and then overcorrected to the left, crossing the southbound lane, hitting the right-of-way fence and coming to rest in the canal.

There was damage to the truck, the trailer, which was empty, and the fence, Kidgell said.

Swander refused medical treatment at the scene.

Citations are pending completion of the investigation, Kidgell said.