A semi hauling east on Interstate 80 lost control just past mile marker 86 on Halloween night, veered into the south ditch, swerved back onto the roadway and rolled onto its passenger side, blocking the eastbound lanes. A Honda minivan following behind couldn't stop in time and struck the semi's trailer, and multiple people were reported injured in the crash.
The sequence of events was detailed per Shane Martinson, as reported by Raccoon Valley Radio. According to that account, the semi first drifted off the eastbound lanes into the ditch before returning to the highway and tipping onto its side, leaving the overturned trailer blocking traffic in the area.
A Multi-Agency Response Near Stuart
The crash drew a wide response from local and county agencies. The Iowa State Patrol, Stuart Fire Department, Stuart Rescue, Menlo Fire Department, Stuart Police Department, Adair County Sheriff's Office and Adair County EMS all responded to the scene, per the same account from the radio station. Diversified Towing was called in afterward to clear the semi and the Honda minivan from the roadway.
No official crash report detailing the exact cause of the semi losing control, the number of people injured, or the severity of those injuries had been released as of the station's report. The station said it would provide more information as it becomes official.
Part of a Busier Stretch for I-80 Rollovers
The Halloween night wreck follows other rollover incidents that have snarled traffic on Interstate 80 in recent months. In late September, a semi crashed into a concrete barrier and rolled over on I-80, sending debris into the roadway and forcing lanes closed in both directions, according to NBC Chicago. Earlier that same month, a mechanical failure reportedly caused a head-on crash on Interstate 80 in Iowa that sent one man to the hospital, as reported by WOWT.
Those earlier crashes remain separate incidents with their own causes and outcomes, and nothing in the available reporting ties them directly to the Halloween night rollover near mile marker 86. For now, the cause of the semi's loss of control and the extent of the injuries from this latest crash remain unconfirmed pending further official information.
