Trucks collide on Interstate 5 in Thurston County Wednesday evening, blocking freeway
A box truck collided with a semi-truck on Interstate 5 in Thurston County on Wednesday, blocking the freeway for over three hours.
The collision occurred at about 7:52 p.m. near Millersylvania State Park, according to a Washington State Patrol press memo issued Thursday. It occurred as wintry weather conditions layered snow and ice on the region.
While traveling south, the box truck allegedly merged into a lane occupied by the semi-truck. The resulting collision caused the box truck to swerve to the left, strike a barrier and cross into the northbound lanes of the freeway.
The box truck came to rest in the northbound lanes, according to the memo. Meanwhile, the semi-truck came to rest on the right shoulder of southbound lanes, just south of 113th Avenue Southwest.
The drivers of the box truck and semi-truck wore seat belts and were not injured, according to the memo. A 63-year-old man from Willamina, Oregon was driving the box truck and a 23-year-old man from Concrete drove the semi-truck.
The cause of the collision remained under investigation, but WSP believes the Willamina man may have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Though both vehicles were damaged, only the box truck was totaled.
