A 10 vehicle pile-up involving 5 tractor trailers and five other vehicles was just one of multiple wrecks caused by an intense dust storm that struck Oklahoma on Tuesday.
The dust storm hit the Oklahoma panhandle on February 14th, and the 10 vehicle pile-up occurred at around 11:30 a.m. about a mile west of Goodwell.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the pile-up began when a Peterbiolt heading south west on Highway 54 drove into a cloud of blowing dust and soil, which drastically reduced visibility. The truck driver was unable to avoid vehicles already stopped on the roadway due to the debilitating dust, and crashed into them, creating the pile-up wreck. The truck driver was then hospitalized in stable condition. Officers say there was zero visibility in the area at the time.
Another pile up crash, this time involving six vehicles, forced the closure of SH 70 and US Hwy 83 at the split. Officers say there were brownout conditions in that area. An additional three wrecks were reported involving three tractor trailers being blown over on their sides, reported ABC 7 Amarillo.
Gusts as high as 84 mph were recorded and sustained winds were clocked at 63 mph, reported ABC 8 Tulsa.
The Texas County Sheriff’s Department captured video of the 10 vehicle pile-up. It can be seen below.