Chain-reaction crash shuts down I-94N for over 10 hours



OAK CREEK -- A chain-reaction crash involving three semi trucks and two vehicles shut down the northbound lanes of I-94 near Puetz Road for more than 10 hours Thursday! The five-vehicle crash occurred around 12:20 a.m. Thursday.

Milwaukee County Sheriff's officials say it appears that a UPS semi truck smashed into the back of another semi truck creating a chain reaction.

Officials say the male driver of the UPS truck had to be extricated from the truck and Flight for Life was called in to transport him to the hospital. Authorities report that the driver is okay. He suffered cuts to his head and other minor injuries.

"I saw two big cranes out there picking up the semi.  The whole front end of the semi burned up and they were picking up a trailer," witness Michael Kurowski said.

All northbound traffic traveling on I-94 was diverted off the highway at Ryan Road until crews reopened the lanes shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday.  The reason it took so long, officials say, is because crews had to unload two semis by hand before it could tow them away.

Don Meyer was one of many stuck in traffic near Ryan Road and Howell Avenue Thursday morning. "I was a semi driver for awhile. I know how it is. I'm kind of surprised that an accident like this would happen on a straight away with no curves and no icy conditions or anything, so somebody either fell asleep, or a tire blew out or something," Meyer said.

Officials say this crash remains under investigation.