Moderate injuries reported after crashes back up traffic on Interstate 70 in Callaway County

EDITOR'S NOTE: The severity of injuries in the crash has been corrected.

KINGDOM CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Crashes that closed eastbound Interstate 70 in Callaway County created a long line of stalled traffic Wednesday afternoon. The interstate shutdown caused many people to stand outside their vehicles and talk to other drivers as they waited for the delay to end.

Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism said that one person was taken to University Hospital with moderate injuries.

The incident involved four separate crashes with five tractor-trailers and three passenger vehicles, the Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeted. Other details were not immediately available.

The Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map said the crash happened a little before 1:30 p.m. and would back up traffic for approximately two hours. The agency said the crash closed eastbound I-70 past the Kingdom City exit.

Corporal Kyle Green with Missouri Highway Patrol said the main priority was to get help for those hurt and traffic back moving.

"The priority was to the injured person and getting the vehicles cleared off the roadway. You know over the course of time the officers will start piecing together what transpired and what led to the various crashes but as of right now I don't have that information," said Green

One lane reopened at about 3:30 p.m. The second lane opened about an hour later, according to MoDOT.

No further details are available at this time. Green said more information will be released after more details are collected.