An 18-wheeler spilled soybean hulls after crashing on I-75 northbound Tuesday morning.
An 18-wheeler carrying soybean hulls crashed on I-75 northbound near the 26-mile marker just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Bradley County Emergency Medical Service responded with two ambulances and a paramedic supervisor where they had to remove the 55-year-old driver who was pinned beneath the steering wheel.
When emergency crews arrived, they found the 18-wheeler off of the roadway into the woods, resting on the driver’s side. The full load of soybean hulls that it was carrying was spilled onto the ground. When the 18-wheeler left the interstate it took out a section of guard rail and a large tree.
The Cleveland Fire Department had to cut down trees and perform the extrication to get the driver out of the mangled truck. There was extreme damage to the truck and the dash.
Lifeforce helicopter landed on the interstate and then flew the driver to Erlanger. His injuries are not life threatening.
The roadway was closed for a significant period of time. “This was one of those incidents that is really challenging due to all of the obstacles that need to be removed in order to safely get into the patient," said Stan Clark of Bradley County EMS. "Then we have to get the patient out of the wreckage and negotiate jagged glass and twisted metal. The Cleveland Fire Department had their work cut out for them on this crash and did an outstanding job.”
The accident is under investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.