A driver distracted by a bug that flew into his semi, crashed causing I-65 south bound to be closed for hours.
Preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Martin Benner revealed at approximately 9:35 a.m., this Thursday, July 12, 2018, morning, a 2009 Freightliner, owned by EM Company out of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and driven by Christopher Walker, 28 of Thomson, Georgia, was south bound on I-65 in the right lane at the 235 mile marker (this is approximately five miles south of the Lowell exit) when a bug flew in from his downed window. Walker tried to swat the bug and took his eyes off the road causing him to drive off the roadway and hit the guardrail on the right with his passenger side.
The Freightliner continued south hitting the guardrail when it hit the concrete construction barrier wall on the west side causing the trailer to become detached from the tractor. The tractor came to rest in the middle of south bound lanes of traffic (this is a two lane, no shoulder, well posted construction zone). The trailer went off the road to the west rolling over onto its passenger side. The trailer was split open after impacting the concrete construction barrier wall throwing out 42,000 pounds of plastic rolls both onto the roadway and over the embankment.
All traffic was diverted off at State Road 2 (Lowell exit). The rolls of plastic and tractor had to be removed from the travel portion of I-65 before the left lane was re-opened to clear out traffic that was stuck in the back-up. I-65 south bound is still closed for removal of the trailer and traffic is still being diverted off at State Road 2. Please find alternate routes if heading south on I-65. We hope to have I-65 south bound in this location open by 3:00 p.m.
Walker refused medical treatment at the scene and was cited for Unsafe Lane Movement.