Bridge Crash Semi Driver 'Thought' He Was OK'd For Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN -- The semi-truck driver whose over-wide and over-tall load took out an overpass that shut down parts of two interstates Friday told Tennessee State Troopers he "thought" he had the proper permits to haul his load through Nashville.

He didn't.

Interstate 40 and Interstate 65 fully re-opened Saturday morning after the Friday afternoon crash snarled traffic on the south loop just hours before Friday night's Nashville Predators playoff game and Saturday morning's marathon.

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The truck, operated by Lily, Ky.'s DG Equipment Movers, was traveling north on I-65 a large Caterpillar water tank hit I-40 East's overpass, damaging one of the five beams on the bridge.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation had permitted the vehicle to travel across West Tennessee from Arkansas but had not certified it to transverse Middle Tennessee, according to THP.

The driver is cited for operating an over-height and over-width vehicle and for pulling a double trailer without the appropriate license endorsement. Those are misdemeanors.

Until repairs to the damaged beam can be made, eastbound motorists on I-40 will drive over the non-damaged beams after an emergency lane re-alignment.

The driver told state troopers his escort vehicle told him he had appropriate clearance on the overpass. Remarkably, no one was injured in the incident.

Photo via TDOT