DRUMS, Pa. — A truck traveling on Interstate 81 south in Luzerne County on Tuesday drove off an overpass, closing a road under the highway.
The rig ended up nearly vertical and blocking St. John's Road near Drums, in Butler Township.
John and Blanche Simoson have lived along St. Johns Road in Butler Township for 40 years, and they've seen a lot next to Interstate 81
"We've had fires on the interstate. We had a camper was on fire. On the opposite side, we've had people broke down, off and on, you know, on that. But since cellphones, we don't really get that many people anymore," Blanche Simoson said.
First responders tell Newswatch 16 the driver is unhurt, and the trailer was empty.
The Simonsons weren't home at the time.
"I would have been mowing the lawn When he went down. She said, 'No, let's go grocery shopping first.' So now don't think I'm going to mow," John Simoson said.
It took hours for wrecker crews to weigh their options both from the interstate and below and decide how they would remove the tractor-trailer from its position.
Eventually, crews decided to use a crane to hoist the back end of the trailer up and bring it down below and lay it on its side onto St. Johns Road before flipping it up and towing it away.
"It's scary because, I mean, traffic is heavy now compared to what it was, say 10 years ago."
State police tell Newswatch 16 they are looking more into this crash. At this point, no charges will be filed.
There is no word what led to the wreck.
Traffic on I-81 is moving slowly near the crash.
Authorities have not said how long St. John's Road will be closed.