MULTI VEHICLE CRASH STARTED BY SEMI TRUCKS SHUTS DOWN HIGHWAY 94
A pileup involving 29 vehicles — half of which were semi trucks — shut down Interstate 94 for hours in both directions near Monticello. A band of snow moved into the area Thursday morning. Unfortunately, the drivers on the road did not adjust their driving accordingly.
The Minnesota State Patrol says this multi vehicle crash happened just after 9 a.m. near Flenning. The National Weather Service had just issued its first-ever Snow Squall Warning. Traffic cameras in the area showed a number of semis that caught on fire, sending up large plumes of smoke.
According to WCCO, one witness said she saw a semi start to fish tail, and when it hit another semi, both of them jackknifed. She stopped her car before running into the crashed semis. However, other vehicles behind them kept coming. “I looked in my rearview mirror and a vehicle was coming full speed at us and rear ended us,” she said.
Another witness said he pulled over to capture the worst of the destruction. “It was jaw dropping to say the least,” he said. “To see an … accident like this and to know that everybody is OK was just, it’s amazing.”
The state patrol says nine people were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Eastbound traffic was ultimately closed for about four hours. However, Westbound traffic was closed at Highway 25 for nine and a half hours.
LAWYERS FOR TRUCK CAR ACCIDENT CASES
At the Rochlin Law Firm, our lawyers have represented many people and families where there was a highway accident because drivers were driving too fast for the weather and road conditions. If you or a family member were injured because you were hit by a truck, call us for a free consultation. We will help you with the insurance issues and make sure you get the compensation you are entitled to.