Advertisement

Lanes now open after diesel spill near Caldwell on Interstate 84, Idaho police say

All lanes on Interstate 84 near Caldwell have reopened after a crash caused a diesel fuel leak, according to the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office.

The crash occurred at around 1:30 p.m., according to Idaho State Police dispatch, near the Idaho 44 exit, which is in a several-mile stretch where the Idaho Transportation Department is working to seal-coat a portion of the highway.

Gabriel Jenkins, 18, of Meridian, fell asleep while traveling eastbound in a 1998 Audi A4 around 1:32 p.m., according to an ISP news release. Jenkins crossed into a different lane and struck the passenger side of a 2017 Freightliner tractor pulling a trailer, which was driven by Gregory Smith, 34, of Daytona Beach.

“The impact ruptured the diesel fuel tank, causing diesel to spill onto both lanes of travel,” the release said.

The Caldwell Fire Department was sent to the scene to address the spill, according to the Sheriff’s Office dispatch. Eastbound lanes were blocked for around two-and-a-half hours while the road was cleaned of diesel, the ISP release said. The crash in still under investigation by ISP. Neither Jenkins nor Smith were injured.

Only single lanes of I-84 were open in both directions on Tuesday because of the road work, according to ISP dispatch, and multiple accidents were reported in the area — five in the construction zone since around 11:30 a.m. None of the crashes caused injuries except for the first, according to ISP, but it was unclear on Tuesday afternoon how severe they were.