Westbound I-70 reopened after deadly semitruck crash in Cooper County
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The westbound lanes of Interstate 70 are back open, after they were closed for six hours as troopers investigated and cleaned up after a deadly crash involving a tractor-trailer at mile marker 111 in Cooper County early Thursday morning.
Troop F spokesman Kyle Green says no other vehicles were involved.
An ABC 17 News videographer arrived at the scene just before 3:30 a.m. and saw a flipped semi blocking the road, spanning from over the guardrail to almost the entirety of the westbound lanes. Three tow trucks, four Cooper County Fire Protection District personnel, and six Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were on scene.
ABC 17 crews saw hundreds of boxes that filled the trailer scattered throughout the highway and heavily damaged guardrails. An excavator was on scene removing debris and cargo that spilled from the trailer and placing it into a dumpster that was brought to the scene.
🚨Fatal Crash Blocking I-70🚨
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) February 19, 2026
Troopers are investigating a single vehicle rollover crash involving a tractor trailer on westbound I-70, at the 111 mile marker (between Boonville and Columbia), in Cooper County.
The westbound lanes are closed at this time. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/GypqD6gOpT
According to the crash report from the Highway Patrol, a 32-year-old man from Bakersfield, California, was driving a 2024 Freightliner on I-70 heading west at 1:50 a.m., when the semi ran off the left side of the road, returned back to the road and overturned.
The driver was pronounced dead on scene. The report states the man was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
According to the MoDoT traveler map, the crash was reported at 2:01 a.m. and has closed the westbound lanes near the Overton/Wooldridge exit. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.
Green says the road is likely to be closed for two more hours.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more updates.
