Bridge reopened after I-70 crash involving cattle, beer trucks near Columbia
A highway bridge was reopened Tuesday afternoon hours after a messy crash in central Missouri on Interstate 70 that involved five vehicles, including a cattle truck and a tractor trailer that was hauling beer.
Missouri transportation and law enforcement officials said Tuesday that all lanes of I-70 had been reopened after emergency workers cleared the crash, which happened on the Rocheport Bridge that crosses the Missouri River in Boone County.
One person was pulled from the wreckage and taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Four of the 57 head of cattle being transported by a trailer in the crash died.
Videos and photos shared by authorities Tuesday afternoon showed cleanup efforts as the remaining cattle were moved off the trailer. Heavy equipment was brought in to scoop cans stacked on pallets from inside a second destroyed trailer as a stream of beer flowed away from the crash site.
By around 4 p.m., the wrecked trucks had been hauled away and traffic was reopened. During the afternoon, motorists were directed to detours along other state highways and the backup continued to be a factor as of Tuesday evening, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
This story was originally published June 6, 2023 at 8:10 PM.
