Truck wreck made travel sticky

It wasn’t a sweet ride for some motorists Wednesday, after a truck wreck at U.S. 1 and I-26 on the edge of West Columbia.

Traffic alternately was diverted to other roads or limited to a single lane as state troopers dealt with a truck carrying chocolate and caramel that overturned as it left I-26 to head to an unknown destination in Lexington, officials said.

None of the sticky stuff spilled, but the mishap slowed traffic significantly during the morning rush hour.

It’s unclear if the material being hauled was candy or liquids used to make such goodies, Lance Cpl. David Jones of the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.

The unidentified driver was given a ticket for speeding and taken to nearby Lexington Medical Center with minor injuries, Jones said.

Wrecks at the site are familiar as cargo often shifts inside trucks and tilts them out of control when drivers misjudge how much to slow down on the exit ramp, West Columbia police Capt. Scott Morrison said.

Traffic in the area remains tangled for more than two hours after the 7 a.m. accident until the overturned truck was towed away, troopers said.

Staff writer Anne-Kathryn Flanagan contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 3, 2015 at 9:27 AM.