Log Truck Overturns, Jams Traffic for Hours

A fully loaded log truck overturned on State Route 76 about five miles outside of Willow Springs last Tuesday. Ronnie Rowe, 64, of Squires, MO, reportedly failed to negotiate a curve and overturned. The crash happened on a clear day at 1:35 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol. Route 76 was blocked to traffic in both directions until after 5:00 p.m. as crews worked to clean up the logs and move the big rig from the roadway.

Rowe was traveling eastbound and overturned on the right-hand side of the road, but wreckers had to be positioned across the roadway to get the leverage required to pull the 2006 Peterbilt 387 back onto its tires from the side, according to information obtained from the Willow Springs Fire Department. 

WSFD was on scene within ten minutes of receiving the call, reports Fire Chief Vance Farmer. The driver "must have God's grace," said Chief Farmer. Rowe escaped the crash with what authorities described as "minor" injuries. 

"The driver was easy to recover. He was outside of the vehicle when we arrived," Chief Farmer said in an interview. Rowe was transported from the scene by ambulance within 30 minutes of the crash. 

Clean up and vehicle recovery lasted over two hours, and the closest available Highway Patrol Trooper responded from Shannon County, over an hour away from the scene of the crash. 

To clear the tree-sized logs from the roadway and ditches, the company that owns the truck sent two additional trucks with pickers to the scene. Midway Towing sent two wreckers to flip the semi-truck. Missouri State Highway Patrol's crash report says the log truck is totaled. 

WSFD worked traffic control the entire length of the call. They were on scene, and the road was closed to traffic, from approximately 1:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.