An accident involving a tractor-trailer rig shut down a section of Interstate 40 during Tuesday afternoon's rush hour, state police said.
Emergency crews responded to the accident under the JFK Boulevard overpass at 3:45 p.m. in North Little Rock and worked into the evening clearing the eastbound roadway of debris, officials said.
[GALLERY: Photos from the wreck scene]
The tractor-trailer was loaded with barbed wire and fencing materials when the driver tried to avoid a slowing vehicle in front of him, spokesman Bill Sadler said. The driver veered to the right and cleared 12 feet of guard rail before striking the overpass' support pillars. The cab of the vehicle separated from its trailer and tumbled about 50 yards from the point of impact with the driver inside.
Emergency crews spent 10 minutes extricating the driver, who sustained minor injuries to a leg yet was able to walk away assisted by emergency workers, according to Lt. Billy Jones with the North Little Rock Fire Department. He was later taken to UAMS where he was reported to be in stable condition.
Traffic began moving through the area about 6:05 p.m. when one lane was opened while highway officials cleaned up the roadway strewn with barbed wire and fencing. The momentum of the trailer's contents forced the fencing materials to burst through the front of the trailer on impact.
Other damage included two flat tires on two vehicles that ran over the barbed wire immediately after the collision. The highway department indicated no structural damage to the overpass, Jones said.
Metro on 05/04/2016