Westbound lanes of Interstate 280 were closed for hours Monday, March 31, 2014 after three semis crashed in Milan.
The wreck was reported at about 6:45 a.m. at mile marker 14, where I-280 crosses over U.S. 67 just north of the Milan HyVee store.
A semi driver pulled to the right, but was unable to pull completely off the road, when his rig lost power on westbound I-280 according to Illinois State Police.
The front end of another semi, hauling for Dubuque Hardwoods, struck the trailer of the stalled semi. Then a third semi struck the first two trucks.
The driver of the stalled semi, a 52-year-old man from Muscatine, was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Police later said he was cited for improper parking on the roadway.
Police said the two other drivers, a 31-year-old from Wisconsin and a 55-year-old from Peru, Illinois, were saved from serious injury because they were wearing seat belts.
Westbound I-280 was closed to all traffic, and motorists were forced to use I-74 or I-80 as alternate routes.
State Police said all lanes were reopened just after noon.
