One killed, several injured in crash that shut down I-59 in Springville for hours
Update: Authorities released the deceased person's name. Sean D. McKnight, 29, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was killed when the box truck he was driving crossed the median of I59 and collided head on with a Freightliner tractor-trailer, driven by Calvin Bell, Jr., 29, of Bessemer.
After the initial collision, a 2005 Jeep Cherokee, driven by James Brown, 58, of Ashville, swerved to avoid colliding with the box truck and struck a ditch in the median. McKnight was pronounced deceased at the scene.
UPDATE: 6:25pm: The Springville Fire Chief told WVTM 13 News that one person was killed and five other people were injured in a total of two wrecks in that general area of Interstate 59. The first wreck about 4:00 a.m. left a person from Tennessee deceased, and injured two others. The fire chief said the second wreck happened in the line of backed up traffic, when a tanker truck crashed into several vehicles. Three people were hurt and taken to a hospital.
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Update: As of 2:35 p.m all southbound lanes are open. Springville police report other wrecks happened after the original crash.
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Update: At 9:40 a.m. all northbound are now open.
Officials said all lanes were closed for hours Wednesday morning on I-59 in Springville due to a major crash involving a box truck that overturned.
Multiple vehicles were involved in the crash shortly after 4 a.m.
Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division were on the scene.
They urged drivers to find alternate routes.
No word on any injuries.