2 SEMIs hauling tomatoes involved in serious crash on I-57 in Mississippi Co., Mo.

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) - One southbound lane of Interstate 57 at the 20 mile marker is open after two SEMI tractor trailers hauling tomatoes crashed early Thursday morning, December 17.

According to the Mississippi County Sheriff’s department, the crash that happened at 2:45 a.m.

Both southbound lanes had been closed for about 2 and a half hours.

Crews worked as fast as they could to remove one of the SEMIs, debris and the tomatoes in order to get traffic moving.

The sheriff’s department said tomatoes spilled all over the interstate.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that the driver of a SEMI, 71-year-old Mohamad A. Choudhry, was traveling northbound when his rig went off the left side of the interstate, through the cable barrier median and crashed into a southbound SEMI.

The southbound tractor trailer was split into two pieces.

The driver of the SEMI hit, 43-year-old Mohammad Abdulla, was flown to a St. Louis hospital with serious injuries.

The Choudhry was not hurt.

Highway patrol said both trucks were totaled in the crash and approximately 600 feet of cable barrier was damaged.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area and to find another route as crews continue to clear the scene.

A detour route will be longer for drivers due to the closure of the U.S. 60/62 bridge. The bridge is located between Cairo, Ill. and Birds Point, Mo.

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