Multiple people were injured in a serious crash early Thursday morning on I-90 in Post Falls, according to Idaho State Police. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. near the Spokane Street overpass at milepost 5. Authorities responded to the scene where a semi-truck hauling cars and a Dodge Caravan collided in a dramatic chain of events.
ISP reports that the semi, traveling westbound on I-90, observed a Dodge Caravan driving east in the westbound lane. To avoid a head-on collision, the semi driver swerved sharply. The Caravan then side-swiped the semi, causing the semi’s fuel tank to rupture, resulting in a diesel spill on the highway.
The semi subsequently caught fire, but firefighters quickly responded, extinguishing the flames and saving the trailer. Unfortunately, the semi was declared a total loss due to the damage sustained.
The driver of the Dodge Caravan, a 62-year-old from Spokane Valley, was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The semi-truck driver, Jeff Lutz from Pennsylvania, along with his wife Alexandra and their adult son, sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
Authorities indicated that the crash remains under investigation, and it is currently unknown if impaired driving contributed to the incident. Due to the severity of the crash, westbound I-90 was closed for several hours at Spokane Street while crews cleared the scene and managed the fuel spill.
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of driving in the early hours and the importance of road safety.
