An 18-wheeler carrying a load of cotton seeds on Highway 82 overturned as it was westbound on a curve near the 18th Avenue North exit about 9:15 a.m. Wednesday.
The driver was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle with unknown injuries, according to Raymond Hackler, public information officer with the Columbus Police Department.
The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle while going around the curve and the load overturned, Hackler said. Authorities from the Columbus Police Department and the Columbus Fire & Rescue responded. Police officers restricted Highway 82’s westbound traffic to one lane while the accident was investigated. The exit for 18th Avenue North was closed to traffic to make way for a firetruck.
The truck was still overturned at 11:30 a.m., but was upright by 12:30 p.m.
Traffic on Highway 82’s westbound side remained backed up all the way to Highway 50 and Highway 12 from around 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. while authorities cleared the scene, Hackler said.
Large trucks have had wrecks on that same curve before in the past, though Hackler said not often.
“We have a couple (of trucks wreck there), but we don’t have a lot,” Hackler said. “We’ve had a couple in the past.”
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