An Arkansas truck driver delivering a load of asphalt was injured Tuesday when his 18-wheeler overturned as he attempted to back off a truck scale.

Billy Smith, 55, of Norphlet, Ark., a driver for JMS Transport of El Dorado, Ark., was delivering to Hunt Southland Refinery, 2600 Dorsey St., when the accident occurred, Vicksburg police Sgt. Milton Moore said.

Smith was treated and released from River Region Medical Center, a spokesman said this morning.

The accident was reported at about 5:30 Tuesday evening as the rear wheels of Smith’s truck went into a ditch as he attempted to back off the scales at the refinery just west of the old Fairground Street railroad bridge.

Warren County Emergency Management director John Elfer said about 1,000 gallons of liquid asphalt spilled, but was contained in the ditch.

Elfer said Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality officials were called and the asphalt and the truck would be removed today.