The crash caused traffic jams for hours — with backups at one point for more than 10 miles on I-84 into Newtown, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Danbury saw backups on many surface streets, including onto Main Street, and back onto Route 7 as well.
The crash initially blocked the entire roadway of I-84 west, then just two lanes and then just the shoulder as crews completed the cleanup work, which lasted into the afternoon.
The crash occurred at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday near Exit 5 of westbound I-84 in Danbury as the tractor-trailer struck a jersey barrier on the right shoulder of the highway, then rolled over onto its driver's side, state police said in a statement.
The tractor-trailer slid on the highway and came to an uncontrolled stop in the left and center lane of three on I-84 west, state police said.
The driver, Robert Benoit, 28, of Webster, Mass., sustained only minor injuries in the crash. He was wearing a seatbelt, but the truck's airbags did not deploy.
DOT supervisors and state troopers diverted traffic until Hilario's Towing removed the tractor-trailer from the highway, state police said.
I-84 was blocked in the area for about three hours as traffic used the right lane to get past the accident scene, state police said.
The tractor-trailer, a 2017 Freightliner towing a 2015 Great Dane trailer, was hauling general merchandise for CVS. The truck was operated out of Rhode Island.
A wrecker was used to "right" the truck, and workers had to unload its contents and pack the items onto another truck, according to the News-Times.
It was raining early Wednesday in the area, after periods of overnight snow and freezing rain, which could have caused slick road conditions in the area, DOT said.
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