Southbound I-55 at Hwy. Z in Pevely was closed for about four hours Wednesday (March 27) following an accident involving a big rig filled with batteries, authorities reported.
No injuries were reported.
The interstate was closed just after 3 p.m. until about 7 p.m. while hazardous material from the batteries was cleaned up, which caused a major traffic jam, Pevely Police Capt. Larry Miller said.
“I think it (the interstate) was backed up all the way to Imperial Main Street,” he said.
The accident occurred about 3 p.m. when a 1999 Suzuki Vitara driven by Mia Kurre, 19, of Perryville was struck by a 2019 Freightliner filled with batteries. Alejandro Fuentes-Castro, 46, Wilmington, Del., was driving the big rig.
“There was (the Vitara) southbound in the exit lane at Pevely. The driver decided she didn’t want to get off and stopped at the start of the exit ramp. She got back on the highway in front of a truck. The truck slammed on his brakes – he had an unsecured load of batteries in the back of the truck.
“When the batteries flew around the truck, they seeped battery acid out of the truck.”
Miller said a Jefferson County hazardous materials team was notified.
“They had to clean up the battery acid,” he said. “The Department of Natural Resources also sent a guy to inspect.”
Miller said the vehicles had minor damage and were “drivable.”
Both drivers were wearing seat belts, he said.
Miller said Pevely Police did not issue any tickets in the accident but forwarded its report to the Missouri State Highway Patrol for evaluation.