A truck driver crashed into a bridge overpass on I-65 in Louisville, Kentucky, early this morning after making claims that she was being held against her will in her truck by a man armed with explosives.
I-65 reopened after crash involving semi carrying books https://t.co/dZ1iVWjm8p pic.twitter.com/X1aNcH6a9t
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) August 21, 2017
According to the Kentucky State Police, troopers began receiving calls just before 1 a.m. today from concerned citizens who were watching Facebook and Facebook Live posts coming from 44 year old truck driver Helen E. Jones.
Driver Uses Facebook To Claim She Was Kidnapped
In the posts, Jones claimed that she had been kidnapped and that there was a man in her sleeper berth armed with hand grenades and explosives. In her social media posts, Jones stated that she was in her truck headed north on I-65.
Police were able to track down Jones’s truck at mile marker 121. When they tried to pull her over at mile marker 122, the truck did not stop and the driver continued in “a safe manner at approximately 75 mph,” according to KSP.
Then, the truck suddenly swerved “in what appeared to be an intentional manner” and slammed into the Fern Valley Road overpass supports.
Early reports on the incident indicated that the crash was fatal and the truck was hauling hazardous materials.
I-65 closed in both directions due to fatal crash involving hazardous materials. https://t.co/CmKrClrSJp pic.twitter.com/kpIS6HeiJS
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) August 21, 2017
Explosives Unit Responds To Semi Crash
An explosives unit was called to the scene as the road was shut down. The unit found no explosives in the truck. The semi was hauling books.
Police say that Jones was the only person in the cab of the truck.
Jones was taken to the hospital and is listed in stable condition.
I-65 was shut down for hours because of the incident, which remains under investigation.