Travelers on I-485 in Charlotte faced significant delays and detours after two separate crashes occurred on Monday, one in northeast and another in west Charlotte. The deadly incident in the northeast forced the closure of all the inner loop lanes near the Mallard Creek Road exit shortly after 11 p.m. WBTV reports that video from the scene showed significant damage under the Mallard Creek Road bridge, the cause of which remains a mystery at this time.
According to WCNC Charlotte, the wreck was cleared and the road was reopened by 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Despite the lane closures, there was no immediate word on what led up to the catastrophic event, but officials at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have been reached out to for further details.
In a separate incident, an accident on I-485 Outer near West Blvd. resulted in severe injuries for one individual. The crash was reported around 11:45 a.m., according to Queen City News, and necessitated the closure of three of the four westbound lanes before the exit. The injured person was transported to the hospital for treatment. While one person was seriously injured, the full extent of their condition has not been disclosed.
Traffic on I-485 Outer improved before 2 p.m., with all lanes reopening to allow traffic to resume. Updates on the ongoing investigations for both incidents are still awaited.
