A crash Friday involving two large commercial vehicles on the Highway 17 bridge over Big Creek in Eunice closed the roadway.
The 10 a.m. accident led to the closure of the highway until about 2:15 p.m.
A dump truck carrying a full load of gravel rear-ended a flatbed trailer loaded with a giant quarry dump truck in the middle of the bridge.
Tpr. Jacob Sellars said the loaded flatbed trailer with truck driven by Mike M. Wansing, 68, of Koeltztown, was crossing the bridge at a slow, stopped speed and the dump truck operated by Daryl D. Bell, 64, of Summersville, came around a curve and down a grade, striking the rear.
Personnel from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Raymondville Volunteer Fire Department, Summersville Fire Department and Missouri Department of Transportation responded to the scene.
Raymondville Fire Chief Mike Jackson said the Jefferson City company that owns the quarry truck sent personnel to try to off-load the huge rig from the damaged trailer, and large tow trucks were called to remove damaged units stranded on the bridge.
Both drivers were taken to Texas County Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
A MoDOT representative at the scene said there was “no visible damage” to the old bridge, which is targeted for replacement. The impact caused a large amount of gravel to spill onto the bridge surface.
MoDOT personnel on scene said there was “no visible damage” to the old Highway 17 bridge over Big Creek in Eunice following a crash involving two large commercial rigs at about 10 a.m. Friday morning.
Numerous tractor-trailer rigs were lined up on the highway waiting for the roadway to be cleared. One 18-wheeler driver tried to turn around in a driveway but his rig got stuck in the process and responders were working to free it.
Raymondville firefighters positioned at the junction of Highway 137 south and Highway 17 east directed motorists away from the crash site.
Assisting Sellers were Tpr. Lowell Sanders and Tpr. Mark Ritter.
The Highway 17 bridge over Big Creek in Eunice was the scene of a crash involving two large commerical vehicles at about 10 a.m. Friday.
Gravel covers the roadway where a dump truck with a full load of gravel rear-ended a tractor-trailer rig carrying a quarry dump truck Friday morning on the Highway 17 bridge over Big Creek in Eunice.
A dump truck with a full load of gravel and a tractor-trailer rig carrying a huge quarry dump truck lie stranded on the Highway 17 bridge over Big Creek in Eunice after a crash at abour 10 a.m. Friday.
Men try to free up a tractor-trailer rig that got stuck when its driver tried to turn around and leave the crash scene.