Three-SUV crash blocks traffic heading to Columbia on major highway in the Midlands
A three-SUV crash blocked all traffic heading toward Columbia on a major interstate running through the Midlands Tuesday.
All of the eastbound lanes on Interstate 26 were blocked, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said on Twitter.
The wreck occurred shortly after 11 a.m. near Exit 60 on I-26, according to the tweet. That’s the exit for Joanna and Whitmire and the junction with S.C. 66, in Newberry County.
Injuries were reported in the crash, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety reported.
Three people were taken to the emergency room at an area hospital, South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Brandon Bolt said in an interview with The State.
Information on the extent of the injuries was not available.
The collision started when a Jeep SUV ran off the right side of the interstate and hit a guard rail before swerving back onto the road and smashing into a Nissan SUV, Bolt said.
While the the Jeep flipped in the wreck, the Nissan careened into a Toyota SUV, according to Bolt.
Construction work is taking place on the highway, from Exit 60 to Exit 66, according to the Department of Transportation.
Bolt said the interstate was cleared and traffic was expected to return to its normal flow for drivers around 12:30 p.m.
The crash is being investigated by Highway Patrol.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 11:33 AM.
