DECATUR, AL: An 18 wheeler semi truck was left dangling precariously off the Tennessee River Bridge after a stalled car set off a multi vehicle chain reaction accident near Decatur, AL. The collision happened at the 336 mile marker on the northbound side of Interstate 65. The area is the north central part of the state, 83 miles north of Birmingham and 33 miles south of the Alabama-Tennessee border.
According to Alabama Highway authorities a stalled car was on the I-65 shoulder Friday night with its emergency flashers on. At approximately 9 p.m. another driver approached the spot and veered in an attempt to miss the stalled car. The second car hit a section of wet pavement and crashed into the guardrail, bouncing back into the center of the highway.
The tractor trailer came upon the scene and reportedly saw the stalled car's emergency lights but did not see the second car in the center of the highway until it was too late. The truck driver swerved to avoid a collision, and smashed into the highway guardrail. The cab of the semi truck went over the edge and hung over the bridge approximately 150 feet above the waters of the Tennessee River.
There were four additional vehicles that crashed at the scene after the initial cars and semi truck accident, a total of seven vehicles involved in the chain reaction accident which closed down parts of I-65 for hours.
Several departments responded to the collision including Alabama State Troopers and the Decatur Police and Fire Departments. The Decatur Rescue Team worked on freeing the truck driver from the cab hanging over the river. A ladder truck was brought in and the firefighters used it to move one of their team over to the truck cab. The rescuer was able to successfully remove the driver from the truck cab and bring him safely out. The truck driver was transported to an area hospital with non life threatening injuries.
Alabama State Troopers shut down all northbound lanes of I-65 and diverted the traffic to Highway 67. Emergency and clean-up crews worked through the night and troopers reopened one of I-65's northbound lanes at approximately 4 a.m. on Saturday morning. As of Monday, the inside northbound lane near the bridge entrance is still closed. Officials from the Alabama Department of Transportation inspected the scene on Saturday and determined that at least 70 feet of the highway guardrail was damaged by the impacts and will need extensive repairs.
Are you looking for a Decatur, AL truck accident attorney? Our lawyers are ready to fight for you! If you've been injured by a truck accident in Decatur, AL give us a call today at 800-773-6770.
MAP
STREET VIEW
