One person is dead following a semi-truck crash, which happened Friday in Iowa City, Iowa. The accident happened on Interstate 80 when a semi drove through a guardrail and hit the supports for the Dubuque Street Bridge. At the time of the crash, the semi was hauling steel, and after it had hit the supports near exit 244, it burst into flames.
The driver of the truck was 24-year-old, Shawn Freeman, and although was injured is expected to make a full recovery. 39-year-old, Gary Griffey was the passenger inside the semi at the time of the crash and died from his injuries. Griffey was not wearing a seatbelt.
Witnesses that saw the accident say there were explosions after the accident, and the thick black smoke from the burning truck could be seen from miles away. The Dubuque Street Bridge was closed for several hours afterwards until the Coralville Fire Department could extinguish the flames. The Iowa Department of Transportation then checked the bridge for safety and deemed it passable.
If you or a family member were involved in a semi truck accident, the skilled St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth would like to hear from you. Please contact us today for a free consultation.