ACCIDENTS TIE UP INTERSTATE 55; TRUCK OVERTURNS, FIVE VEHICLES CRASH

Traffic along Interstate 55 near the Dutchtown exit was stopped for a period and slowed for a while longer Monday afternoon following accidents in both the southbound and northbound lanes.

The accidents occurred between mile markers 92 and 93.

First a semi-tractor trailer truck loaded with cotton seed overturned in the northbound lane, halting traffic at 3 p.m., according to Cape Girardeau Police Department reports.

"Some diesel fuel spilled out of the truck tanks," said Capt. Kevin Orr of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

The truck driver, Tommy J. Harper, 51, of Springfield, Ill., was taken to St. Francis Medical Center with injuries to his hip, police said.

Both northbound lanes were closed for about 20 minutes before one lane was opened.

Officer Sonny Kincaid said Harper came up behind a slow-moving vehicle in the outside lane, misjudged its speed and swerved to the inside lane to avoid hitting the vehicle. The tractor-trailer went partially into the median, and a combination of load shift and air suspension caused it to overturn on its left side, Kincaid said.

The second accident involving five vehicles occurred in the southbound lane at 3:40 p.m. Kincaid said the second accident was not in sight of the first but could have been caused by inattention. "I'm assuming they didn't realize the traffic in front of them had stopped," said Kincaid.

No injuries were reported in that accident, but one lane of traffic was closed.