Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Causes I-84 Travel Delays
Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Causes I-84 Travel Delays
By Andrew Gorosko
A tractor-trailer truck traveling on Interstate 84 during a snowstorm early Monday morning got into an accident, which restricted traffic flow on the highway for several hours, causing motorists to fill local roads in seeking to avoid highway delays during the morning rush period.
State police said tractor-trailer truck driver Hypolite Zare, 34, of Philadelphia was driving a 2000 Freightliner tractor, which was hauling a trailer, eastward on I-84, about 7,500 feet west of Exit 10, when the truck collided with a bridge abutment and a length of metal-beam guardrailing along the left road shoulder.
After the impact, the truck crossed over onto the roadâs right lane and right shoulder, where it damaged a 200-foot-long section of wire cable guardrailing, state police said. Zare was not injured.
The jackknife accident caused the vehicle to leak an amount of diesel fuel. To handle the fuel cleanup, Hawleyville firefighters, the state Department of Environmental Protectionâs hazardous materials spill unit, Fleet Environmental Services of Bethel, and state Department of Transportation staffers went to the accident scene, state police said.
The truckâs trailer came to rest with a section of it extending off the roadway above an embankment.
The right lane of eastbound I-84 near the accident remained closed to traffic from the time of the crash until approximately 9:15 am, state police said. Some eastbound motorists, who encountered the traffic delays caused by the accident, exited the highway at Exit 9 and traveled on local roads, resulting in traffic congestion on Route 25.
About 4½ hours after the accident occurred, a wrecker pulled the truck free from its stuck position above the highway embankment, allowing state police to reopen the right travel lane on the eastbound side of the road.
Although the accident occurred on eastbound I-84, curious westbound motorists slowed to view the wreckage, resulting in travel delays on that side of the highway.
Hawleyville firefighters remained at the accident scene until just after 10 am.
State police said they cited Zare for traveling at a speed too fast for conditions.