WARREN (WWJ) -- It was a mess Tuesday afternoon on eastbound I-696 at the Oakland-Macomb County boarder, after a semi truck overturned near Dequindre Road.
WWJ's Alexis Ware reported all traffic was pushed off the freeway, early in the afternoon, and the on-ramps were blocked by police.
For a time, police kept the right lane open to allow vehicles to exit the freeway. "No further cars are being let on the freeway," Ware reported. "There's some MDOT vehicles as well as some law enforcement cars there to prevent anyone from going on there and really just getting stuck."
Michigan State Police said the semi driver may have a broken arm, but is otherwise OK.
No other cars were involved in the crash, and no one else was injured.
As for what caused the crash, police said it appears that the driver of a semi truck was in the right lane when his load shifted as he was coming around the corner. The load shifted to the left causing the truck to overturn and block the left three lanes.
MSP said there was oil on the roadway from the crash and that it was going to take some time to clean it up, with drivers being asked to avoid the area.
Ware said progress was being made by around 2 p.m., with a tow truck on the scene working to turn the semi right-side up and haul it away.
All lanes reopened to traffic at around 5 p.m., just in time for the afternoon commute.
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