Semi accidents make mess of rush hour in Columbia South Carolina

Three semi truck accidents in the past two days snarled afternoon and rush-hour traffic in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 west of Columbia.

A Centralia man was one of only two drivers injured in the wrecks. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Kevin Myers, 36, had minor injuries from a crash that happened at around 3:05 p.m. yesterday at the Perche Creek bridge at the 122 mile marker of I-70.

The patrol said the International tractor-trailer driven by Myers was slowed because of congested traffic and was struck from the rear by a Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by Steven Hull, 43, of Cairo. Hull's semi was hauling liquid carbon dioxide, but no spill was reported.

A condition report on Myers was not available this morning; local hospitals did not list him as a patient.
The slowdown in traffic led to a second crash at 3:18 p.m. about a mile to the east when another truck rear-ended a FedEx semi. Emergency crews responded to the scene at the 124 mile marker, but no one was injured, and no accident report was available. The Missouri Department of Transportation advised drivers to avoid the area as traffic was backing up on the interstate to the east. Around 4:45 p.m., MoDOT reported both westbound lanes had reopened, with traffic still moving slowly.

The crashes yesterday came after an incident Wednesday in which a semi crashed around the 123 mile marker just west of Stadium on westbound I-70. That crash involved only one truck, which was carrying salad dressing, Columbia police Officer Latisha Stroer said. It occurred at 5:32 p.m.
One person was taken for medical treatment but did not have to be extricated from the semi, Columbia fire Battalion Chief Brad Fraizer said. The name of the driver has not been released.