Truck's logs got loose on a Missouri highway, patrol says. One driver was killed

A 76-year-old driver from West Virginia was killed after he was forced off the road by falling logs, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The multi-vehicle crash happened around 2 p.m. Monday on Missouri 17, north of Saline Road in Miller County.

According to the highway patrol, a semi-trailer truck hauling logs was going northbound when it crossed the center line and was struck by a dump truck heading southbound.

It's unclear what caused the semi to cross the center line.

The truck's load of logs became loose and fell onto the roadway, the highway patrol said. The falling logs struck a 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck and forced it off the right side of the road. Authorities said the Dodge Ram then struck a tree and a fence.

The logs also hit a 2018 Nissan Versa.

The driver of the Dodge Ram, identified by authorities as Franklin Alford, of Harrison, West Virginia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other injuries were reported.

All the drivers were wearing seat belts, according to the crash report.

The wreck closed the highway for a few hours as authorities investigated, according to a tweet from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

This story was originally published June 26, 2018 at 9:15 AM.