Truck driver arrested for DUI after crash on W.Va. Turnpike; roadway reopen

Truck driver arrested for DUI after crash on W.Va. Turnpike; roadway reopen

UPDATE 8/25/22 @ 7:50 p.m.

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The West Virginia Turnpike is back open up Thursday night after an early early morning crash in Fayette County involving a tractor-trailer driver arrested for DUI, according to the West Virginia Office of Transportation.

The accident, which happened just soon after midnight, also included a dangerous chemical spill involving Alkyl Dimethylamine, which is principally utilized as a cleansing agent.

All lanes of the roadway have been closed extra than 19 hrs during the cleanup.

Original Tale

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A truck driver was arrested for DUI Thursday morning after the semi he was driving overturned blocking all lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike.

The incident transpired just right after midnight in the northbound lane on the Skitter Creek Bridge just just after midnight when the driver shed regulate, jackknifed, and crossed the barrier wall.

The crash blocked the two northbound and southbound lanes.

In accordance to the criminal grievance, when officers manufactured speak to with the driver, Dennis Eugene West, of Moncks Corner, SC they could smell liquor on his breath.

The criticism states West failed industry sobriety assessments and a breath exam at the scene of the accident.

West was placed less than arrest for DUI and taken to the West Virginia Condition Police Turnpike business office in Beckley to be processed.

Yet another breath examination uncovered West’s blood-alcoholic beverages stage to be .128, officers say.

West was placed under arrest for DUI and taken to the West Virginia State Police Turnpike...
West was positioned beneath arrest for DUI and taken to the West Virginia Point out Police Turnpike workplace in Beckley to be processed.(West Virginia Condition Law enforcement)

The West Virginia Division of Environmental Security (WVDEP) is presently responding to the chemical spill that resulted from the tractor trailer crash.

A preliminary assessment indicated that the truck was hauling a minimal of 12 275-gallon totes of Alkyl Dimethylamine, which is generally utilised as a cleansing agent.

An environmental contractor is at present onsite and remediating the region. The contractor will have to inspect and remediate the crash site in advance of the volume of product getting hauled and how significantly was spilled can be determined.

Personnel from the WVDEP’s Crisis Response, Environmental Enforcement, and Harmful Squander sections are also onsite, checking all features of the scenario. About nine miles of Paint Creek has been possibly impacted and fish get rid of has been observed.

Each the Condition Section of Overall health and Human Resources (DHHR) and the Division of Organic Resources (DNR) have been notified. DHHR has alerted all consuming water intakes downstream of the spill and DNR will perform a fish assessment as soon as remediation is finish.

“We have been and will go on to coordinate with other condition agencies and community initially responders to guarantee the website and impacted areas are cleaned up as shortly as achievable,” explained WVDEP Cupboard Secretary Harold Ward.

More facts has not been produced.

Maintain checking the WSAZ app for the latest information.

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – All lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike are shut Thursday morning right after a tractor-trailer carrying harmful chemical compounds crashed just north of Pax.

The accident transpired in the northbound lane on the Skitter Creek Bridge just right after midnight when the driver shed manage, jackknifed, and crossed the barrier wall.

The crash has blocked each northbound and southbound lanes.

Website traffic heading north will stick to Turnpike Detour A and detour at the North Beckley Exit 48 (US 19), progress previous Summersville to Interstate 79 Exit 57, then south to Charleston.

Southbound visitors will also stick to Turnpike Detour A. From Charleston, traffic ought to comply with Interstate 79 north from Charleston to Exit 57, then move forward south on US 19 to North Beckley, Exit 48.

The DEP crisis response group, Pax Fire Office, West Virginia State Police, and West Virginia Parkways Authority crews are all on scene and have the spill contained. An environmental contractor is in route from Poca to begin the cleanup process.

Maintain checking the WSAZ app for the most current information.