A semi-truck hauling oil tanks lost control on Interstate 80 after another vehicle hit an elk early Thursday morning, sending one person to the hospital with critical injuries and shutting down the highway for multiple hours.
Utah Highway Patrol officials said the accident happened around 5 a.m. between the Kimball Junction and U.S. 40 interchange. A driver in a Buick SUV collided with an elk, pulled over and parked on the right shoulder. A second vehicle hit the elk’s carcass and stopped on the left shoulder.
A third car then swerved to avoid the carcass and the second car, but the maneuver disabled the vehicle and caused it to partially block two lanes of traffic.
The semi-truck attempted to swerve to avoid hitting the third car, but the pup trailer attached to the back struck the vehicle. The trailer overturned and was dragged down the interstate before the truck came to a stop on the right shoulder.
The Park City Fire District responded to assist Utah Highway Patrol troopers with the oil leaking from the trailer.
The driver of the Buick was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the third vehicle was transported to the hospital with critical injuries, but Utah Highway Patrol officials said the driver was stable around 11:45 a.m.
The westbound lanes of I-80 were still closed by the time morning rush hour hit and remained closed for several hours. Traffic was diverted to U.S. 40, and drivers were encouraged to use alternate routes because of heavy delays in the area.
All westbound lanes reopened around noon.
