Crews clean debris around the site of an accident on Interstate 5, under the West Street overpass, on Thursday morning in Chehalis.
Crews clean debris around the site of an accident on Interstate 5, under the West Street overpass, on Thursday morning in Chehalis.
A semi truck is seen under the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 at the West Street overpass in Chehalis Thursday morning.
Crews clean debris around the site of an accident on Interstate 5, under the West Street overpass, on Thursday morning in Chehalis.
Crews clean debris around the site of an accident on Interstate 5, under the West Street overpass, on Thursday morning in Chehalis.
A crash on Interstate 5 in Chehalis that halted southbound traffic for seven hours and resulted in a diesel and sulfuric acid spill was caused by a semi truck driver who fell asleep at the wheel, according to the Washington State Patrol.
All lanes of southbound Interstate 5 at mile marker 78 were open as of 1:25 p.m. Thursday after being closed since the crash just after 6:30 a.m.
The crash occurred when a 2016 International semi truck towing a 1999 Great Dane box trailer drifted off the roadway in the northbound lanes, went into the median and through the concrete barriers. The truck rolled onto its side and came to rest blocking both southbound lanes of Interstate 5, according to the State Patrol.
The driver, 44-year-old Tanu V. Teloma, of Lakewood, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center. He will be cited for negligent driving.
A second vehicle, a 1998 Toyota pickup truck driven by 51-year-old James Whitford, of Tacoma, was damaged by debris from the crash. It was driven away from the scene with non-reportable damage.
The state Department of Ecology and WSDOT responded after the crash to address a diesel and sulfuric acid spill while cleaning up the wreckage.
The semi truck was hauling a forklift. The sulfuric acid reportedly spilled from the forklift’s battery.
“We’re looking at a substantial closure,” WSDOT spokeswoman Tamara Greenwell said Thursday morning as WSDOT staff attempted to determine the extent of the damage.
The semi truck was on its side and debris was spread over the freeway’s lanes Thursday morning as commuters faced challenges getting to their destinations. Roads throughout the Twin Cities were locked up with traffic as motorists tried to find alternative routes.
The West Street overpass in Chehalis, where the crash occurred, was not substantially damaged, according to the WSDOT. About 40 feet of Jersey barriers were in need of replacements.
