A multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 77 north of Mooresville resulted in serious injuries and major traffic disruptions on New Year's Eve, officials reported. The crash, involving an 18-wheeler and eight other vehicles, occurred just before 3:30 p.m. near exit 40 in Iredell County.
According to WCNC, two individuals were seriously injured in the incident and were transported for medical attention. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed the injuries and the number of vehicles involved. The interstate was shut down for over three hour, leading to prolonged traffic delays.
Detours were established to manage the traffic flow, with the North Carolina Department of Transportation advising motorists to use exit 36 and follow a specified reroute including NC 150 and US 21 to return to I-77 northbound. This information was echoed in reports by WBTV, which also noted the roadway closure lasting at least another hour past 5:30 p.m. that day.
While the circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately clear, the subsequent investigation and clean-up efforts warranted extensive lane closures, which according to a QC News article, were not lifted until sometime after 7 p.m. It remains unclear if any charges are expected to be filed in connection with the crash. Live traffic updates continued to reflect the impact of the incident well into the evening.
The identities of the two hospitalized individuals, as well as potential other injuries among the involved parties, were not released at time of the reports. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the sequence of events that led to the tractor-trailer colliding with the multiple vehicles.
