Tanker crash causes a huge mess, traffic jam in Opelika - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Tanker crash causes a huge mess, traffic jam in Opelika

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OPELIKA, AL (WTVM) -

A tanker crash brought traffic on I-85 to a slow crawl Saturday morning. Before the accident, a Buick Lacrosse traveling north on I-85 left the roadway hitting the median steel dividers.

This caused the vehicle to rest in the northbound lanes.  The driver of the Buick exited the vehicle, just in time before a Freightliner truck carrying Kemira Acrymalide struck the passenger car.

The impact caused the tanker to overturn in the median landing part of the truck's cab in the inside lanes on southbound I-85.

The 54-year-old Freightliner driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to East Alabama Medical Center.

The driver of the Buick was not hurt. Southbound lanes were shutdown from exit 62 to 64 in Opelika for hours and traffic was detoured around the crash while crews worked to clean up the mess.

The Opelika Police Department is investigating the cause of the accident.