A semi tractor and trailer combination lost control when the driver fell asleep causing damage that closed State Route 18 just west of State Route 516 for more than two hours at about 1 a.m. Friday.
A semi truck traveling west on State Route 18, just east of Kent and Covington, struck several sections of guardrail, a bridge embankment and several trees after the driver fell asleep behind the wheel, according to a Washington State Patrol media release.
The tractor was ripped apart leaving only the driver’s seat in what remained of the driver’s compartment.
A piece of barrier from the collision damaged the tank on a passing semi truck spraying the roadway with diesel. Both of the westbound lanes were closed while the roadway was sanded and the trailer removed.
Lane 1 remained closed until the remainder of the tractor can be removed.
The driver, a 21-year-old Virginia man, suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
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