COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A portion of southbound I-69 in Branch County was shut down last night for five hours after a semi-tractor trailer flipped over and lost its load in a crash in Coldwater. The semi driver and a passenger from Ontario, Canada were both injured in the accident that happened a half mile south of US 12 around 6:30 p.m. Monday.
Coldwater City Police say for unknown reasons, the semi driver lost control of his rig, striking a guardrail before rolling into the median, spilling its cargo of frozen cat food. Southbound traffic on the highway was directed off the interstate at the US 12 exit. The left lane of I-69 was closed southbound to Fenn Road and both lanes were blocked between 11:00 p.m.and 11:30 p..m to allow the tractor trailer to be towed from away from the median.
The two men in the cab hurt in the accident were treated and released from the Community Health Center of Branch County. City Police were assisted by Michigan State Police with the Coldwater Fire Department and Life Care Ambulance also dispatched to the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.