Overturned semi temporarily blocked lanes on I-41 in Washington County

WASHINGTON -- An overturned semi temporarily blocked lanes on northbound I-41 at State Highway 144 in the Town of Polk early Thursday morning, June 8th.

Sheriff’s Deputies and an officer from the Slinger Police Department responded to the scene around 4:30 a.m.

Upon arrival, officers located a double bottom tractor/trailer stopped in the right emergency lane.  The second (rear) trailer was overturned but still attached to the lead trailer.

Both lanes of I-41 were obstructed with debris that had fallen out of the overturned trailer.  The driver of the semi, a 50-year-old Milwaukee man, was uninjured.

Officers re-opened the left lane after manually clearing the debris.  Both lanes of I41 were re-opened at approximately 6:26 a.m. after the trailer was moved into the shoulder.  The Washington County Highway Department established an official closure of the shoulder to facilitate additional clean-up and removal efforts.

An on-scene investigation revealed the northbound semi was in the right lane when the driver lost control, crossed over the left lane, and partially entered the grassy median.  The rear trailer struck a section of guardrail protecting the STH 144 bridge abutments.  The semi re-entered the northbound lanes of travel, swerved across both lanes, and entered the east ditch line.  The rear trailer then struck a concrete retaining wall/fence, and came to rest on its side partially in the right lane of travel.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

The matter remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, but inattentive driving appears to be the main contributing factor.