ALBANY, Oregon — A semi-truck driver was hospitalized following a crash that briefly closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Albany on Saturday morning.
The crash was reported shortly before 7 a.m. at the exit 233 off-ramp. The driver, 58-year-old Steven Howard, of Salem, was heading northbound on I-5 when for an unknown reason he drove directly into the impact barrier between the northbound lanes and the exit off-ramp, Oregon State Police said.
The truck skidded and rolled onto its side in the exit lane. Photos appear to show Gatorade bottles covering the road.
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Howard was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis with serious injuries.
The northbound lanes of I-5 were closed for about 45 minutes immediately following the crash, police said. The exit ramp was still closed late Saturday morning as crews continued to clean up the road.