MYNORTHWEST NEWS

‘Never seen anything like it,’ says trooper after semi-truck folds car in half in collision

Nov 16, 2021, 1:33 PM | Updated: Nov 17, 2021, 11:56 am

Semi truck collision...

A semi-truck folded a car in half in a Tuesday collision on I-5. (State Trooper Rocky Oliphant, Twitter)

(State Trooper Rocky Oliphant, Twitter)

“There’s really not a word to describe this collision.” That’s according to Washington State Trooper Rocky Oliphant, after a stunning incident where a semi-truck folded a Nissan Altima in half along I-5 over the Skagit River.

WSDOT workforce shortage could mean more closed roads this winter

According to Trooper Oliphant, the semi-truck struck the Altima from behind, before eventually coming to rest on top of the flattened vehicle. “Miraculously,” there were only minor injuries reported, he noted, despite the driver of the folded car being trapped in their vehicle while awaiting rescue from responders.

The incident defied precedent for the state trooper, which was said to have occurred as a result of traffic “causing the bridge to move,” combined with an “unstable” semi-truck.

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“In my 14 year career, I have never seen anything like it,” Oliphant said.

Traffic along the roadway was blocked for roughly 45 minutes, after a tow truck was able to lift the semi-truck enough to free the car below.

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