Hours-long delays, dozens of vehicles involved in crash at I-40/I-85 merger
YOU CAN SEE THE SNOW PLOWS
THERE READY TO GO IN ORANGE
COUNTY, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE
AREA.
>> WE'VE SEEN DOZENS OF CRASHES
AND MANY OF THEM HAVE INVOLVED
MULTIPLE CARS AND TRUCKS.
ONE MAJOR CRASH BROUGHT TRAFFIC
TO A STANDSTILL ON I-40 85 IN
ORANGE COUNTY. THE BUREAU'S
SHAUN GALLAGHER JOINS US LIVE
FROM ABOVE THE HIGHWAY TO TELL
US WHAT HAPPENED. JOHN.
YEAH, JEROME DEAD. WE PASS THIS
CRASH ABOUT 3 HOURS AGO, BUT
THERE WAS NO SAFE SPACE FOR US
TO STOP AT AN BUT WE WERE ABLE
TO GET TO THIS OVERPASS RIGHT
HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE
MERGER OF 40 TO 85. THERE ARE
AT LEAST 4 SEMIS THAT ARE
INVOLVED IN THIS CRASH TO AT
THE BOTTOM HERE THAT ARE KIND
OF SEPARATE. AND THEN ANOTHER
BIG GAP AND 2 THAT REALLY
BLOCKED THAT ENTIRE LANE OF
TRAFFIC. NOBODY GETTING BY.
AND IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR
HOURS NOW. WE HAVE HEARD FROM
LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT THEY
BELIEVE 20 TO 30 VEHICLES, AT
LEAST MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THIS CRASH HERE. AND THEY SAY
THAT THEY HAD AT LEAST 6
PATIENTS TRANSPORTED BY EMS.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF
THEIR INJURIES. AND THEN THERE
WERE ANOTHER 10 PEOPLE WHO WERE
EVACUATED FROM THE SCENE JUST
TO GET THEM TO WARMING CENTERS.
SO THIS IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE
MESS AND REALLY INDICATIVE OF
WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE
TRIANGLE ON THESE MAJOR
THOROUGHFARES, WHETHER IT'S
85 40 95, THERE ARE CRASHES
LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS
SUPER IMPACTFUL. IT HAS BEEN
BLOCKED LIKE THIS FOR HOURS AND
IT IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE MESS.
AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE
AROUND HERE, WE SPOKE TO A
COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO HAD OFF
FROM SCHOOL TODAY. THEY'VE BEEN
ABLE TO STAY INSIDE. KEEP COZY.
BUT THIS IS RIGHT AROUND THE
CORNER FROM WHERE THEY LIVE.
TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT THEY
HEARD TODAY.
>> THANKFUL TO NOT BE OUT
MY DAUGHTER'S PLAYING IN THE
SNOW EARLIER AND HEARD 3 LOUD,
REALLY LOUD BOOMS. AND WE'RE
ASSUMING THAT IT WAS. SO WE
JUST CAME TO.
>> SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I MEAN, I I DRIVE THIS AREA
LOT. I KNOW HOW BUSY IT CAN
GET IT ON A REGULAR DAY.
I MEAN,
>> TO SEE THE GRIDLOCK HERE,
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THIS?
>> I NEVER SEEN IT BACK OF
COURSE, YOU CAN SEE HOW FAR IT
REALLY IS BACKED UP. BUT WE HAD
SOME FRIENDS TAX THAN THEIR SEC
ON A DIFFERENT PART OF 40.
AND THEY'VE BEEN SITTING THERE
FOR OVER AN HOUR.
>> AND BACK OUT HERE LIVE, LIKE
I SAID IN THAT INTERVIEW THAT I
TAKE THIS ROAD ALL THE TIME TO
SEE SOME FAMILY THAT LIVE OUT
IN BURLINGTON. AND YES, I'VE
BEEN IN GRIDLOCK HERE. NOTHING
LIKE THIS. I MEAN, IT IS JUST
IT'S NOT EVEN A BOTTLENECK.
IT IS COMPLETELY STOP THERE.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE YELLOW LIGHTS
TWINKLING BACK THERE. THAT IS
A LARGE TOW TRUCK THAT WILL GET
THOSE SEMIS OUT THERE. BUT FOR
THE LAST HALF HOUR, IT HAS BEEN
STUCK THERE. NOTHING MOVING AT
ALL AS THEY CONTINUE TRYING TO
CLEAR THIS UP. SO IF YOU ARE
HEADED ANYWHERE, WESTBOUND ON
40 TODAY FROM THE RALEIGH AREA
GOING WEST COMPLETELY AVOID.
I-40 ALTOGETHER, IF YOU CAN.
BUT REALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
IS JUST STAY HOME. LET THIS ALL
PAST LET THE FIRST RESPONDERS,
THE THE CREWS, THE DPW CREWS
CLEAR THESE ROADS OUT, MAKE
THEM SAFE SO THAT THEY CAN GET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY NEED TO GO
WHO HAVE A TRUE EMERGENCIES.
DON'T BE OUT ON THE ROADS.
IF YOU DON'T NEED TO. I LIVE IN