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Posted on Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 9:08 a.m.

Semi truck rolls over on eastbound I-94 west of Huron Street

By Kyle Feldscher

A semi truck loaded with liquor rolled over onto the shoulder of eastbound Interstate 94 west of Huron Street in Ypsilanti Monday morning, backing up traffic during the morning commute.

Dispatchers said the accident occurred at 8:40 a.m. Monday and had traffic moving slowly through the area, although none of the lanes appeared to be blocked.

At 9 a.m., dispatchers were sending a wrecker to the scene in order to move the truck off the freeway. No estimate was immediately available on how long it would take to clear the area.

The semi truck was fully loaded and weighed a total of approximately 30,000 pounds, dispatchers said. Sgt. Mark Thompson, of the Michigan State Police, said the truck was carrying liquor.

Update at 10:56 a.m.: Michigan State Police Sgt. Mark Thompson said eastbound I-94 will be restricted to one lane for the next several hours as the semi truck is unloaded.

Thompson said the ditch near the truck means that the truck has to be unloaded by hand in order to get it upright.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area. AnnArbor.com will update this story when the lane is reopened.

Update at 11:53 a.m.: Thompson said two eastbound lanes were open by 11:25 a.m. but delays were still expected as crews continued to clean up in the area for the next several hours.

Thompson said a passenger car hydroplaned on the freeway due to the rains that swept across the Ann Arbor area Monday morning. That car struck the semi truck, causing it to leave the roadway.

The driver of the semi truck lost control of the vehicle, which rolled over onto the shoulder. He suffered minor injuries and the driver of the car did not suffer any injuries.

Initial information from dispatchers indicated the crash occurred on eastbound I-94 east of Huron Street, but Thompson corrected that, stating that the crash actually occurred one mile west of Huron Street.


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Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

sheeple

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 5:39 p.m.

Wish I could say I was surprised to hear this. When I drove this stretch of I-94 earlier this morning, cars were flying by me even in the heavy rain and murkiness. Many cars had no lights on. Unsettling, to say the least.

Pete

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 5:37 p.m.

Yes; it's a bit hard that the article says "rolled-over liquor truck" and "stay away" in the same breath. (Just glad that the reported injuries are not serious.)

Dog Guy

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 5:06 p.m.

There is a 1930's animated comedy in which an intoxicated liquor truck rolls over and hiccoughs. Life imitates art.

SEC Fan

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 4:25 p.m.

If they need any more help unloading that truck, I'd be happy to volunteer :-)

SEC Fan

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 5:25 p.m.

count me in!

Craig Lounsbury

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 5 p.m.

I can be there with some ice and a tumbler as fast as the cabbie can go. We can discuss the relative merits of the SEC and the Big 10-11-12 while we preform a hazmat clean up.