Milk truck driver seriously injured in roll-over crash on interstate

The driver of a semitrailer carrying milk was seriously injured after it turned over on westbound Interstate 270 near Interstate 55, according to the Troy Fire Department.

The crash caused milk to spill into a drainage ditch and snarled traffic around 6:30 a.m. Monday. The interstate was closed temporarily, but one lane was open by 9 a.m. as towing crews worked to clear the truck from the side of the roadway, a process that could take several hours.

A medical helicopter airlifted the driver to Saint Louis University Hospital, according to Troy Fire Chief Rick McCurdy. Though seriously injured, the driver was expected to survive, said Illinois State Police Trooper Calvin Dye Jr. One of the fuel tanks was punctured, the fire chief said, but firefighters were able to plug it quickly.

The driver told police he was feeling unwell, causing him to crash, but he was unsure why, Dye said.

An Illinois State Police Certified Truck Inspector responded to determine if equipment failure or other issues may have caused the crash, Dye said.

KMOV captured an image of the spilled milk.

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 7:19 AM with the headline "Milk truck driver seriously injured in roll-over crash on interstate."