TUMWATER, Wash. (AP) — The southbound lanes of Interstate 5 at Tumwater reopened about 10:30 a.m. Thursday after being blocked more than five hours by a truck collision.
Trooper guy Gill says southbound traffic was backed up five miles and the backup in the northbound lanes was two miles as drivers slowed through the accident scene.
The patrol says the crash was caused by a 22-year-old semi-truck driver who fell asleep and crashed into an unoccupied state Transportation Department truck. No one was in the state truck, and the semi driver suffered only a scratch on an arm. He’s facing numerous charges, including negligent driving.
The Department of Ecology was called to help clean up about 50 gallons of fuel that spilled from the semi-truck.
