A truck driver says his business will be off-kilter for the next week after getting stuck in traffic for 17 hours following a serious wreck on Interstate 40.
According to Action News 5, the Monday crash blocked all lanes of Interstate 40 in St. Francis County, Arkansas, causing major traffic backups. The crash, which involved six semi trucks, three dump trucks, and eight cars, forced crews to make temporary repairs to the roadway, leaving only one lane open until repairs can be finished. Officials estimate the repairs will be completed by Thursday morning.
The crash caused backups well into Tuesday morning, leaving truckers like Clint Hogan stranded, which affects their business. Hogan says he was stuck in the backups for 17 hours, and will now be playing catch-up for at least the next week.
“If I’m not moving, I’m not making money,” Clint Hogan said from a rest stop in Birmingham. “I was supposed to be in Orlando today so this is going to throw me off for at least one week.”
“It does hurt, but I know I heard at least one person died,” Hogan said. “I’m just fortunate that more people didn’t die because it was a bad fire. It was hot.”
Even locals noticed the truckers stuck in the backups, and say they hope the drivers can get back on track soon.
“I can’t imagine the inconvenience truck drivers have to reroute their whole itinerary to accommodate,” said Forrest City resident Monique Cook. “They keep America running and I hope they get things running smoothly soon.”