Driver hospitalized after crashing 18-wheeler on US 281; lanes reopened

All lanes have reopened as of 11 a.m.

SAN ANTONIO – A cleanup crew spent Monday morning clearing the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 281 north of downtown after a big rig crash sent a driver to the hospital and snarled traffic for hours.

San Antonio police said the big rig was traveling southbound on the highway when the driver lost control of the vehicle after the Hildebrand exit, where the road curves, around 3:20 a.m.

The tractor-trailer slid sideways, pushing the cab into a grassy area and up an embankment, police said. The cab struck a support column and its trailer detached, broke and rolled over, spilling its cargo across the road.

The 61-year-old driver was taken to a hospital, where he’s in stable condition.

The trailer blocked all the southbound lanes, police said. As of 11 a.m., all lanes were reopened.

No other vehicles were involved in the wreck.

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About the Authors

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

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