Delaware State Police
News Release

Update #2- Driver Charged in I-95 Tractor Trailer Crash

Released- Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Newark- I-95 is now open in all directions.

Update- Driver Charged in I-95 Tractor Trailer Crash

Released- Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Newark- The Delaware State Police is releasing the following information pertaining to the crash which occurred this morning where a tractor trailer overturned. The crash was reported at 9:20 a.m. and was located at I-95 southbound just south of Route 7.

A 2005 Peterbuilt tractor trailer (operated by Peter Potter, 46, of Forest Park, Georgia) was traveling southbound on I-95 in the left lane over top of Route 7. The truck started to change lanes to the right when the driver observed a vehicle in his way. Mr. Potter jerked the wheel back hard to the left causing the rig to overturn. The trailer portion of the rig landed on top of the concrete barrier separating the northbound and southbound lanes. The tractor trailer slid on its side over 300’ (the length of a football field) before coming to a final stop.

The driver suffered a minor injury and refused medical treatment. He was cited with Making an Unsafe Lanes Change. The Delaware State Police truck inspection unit combed over the rig and found no safety violations.

Several lanes of I-95 southbound are still closed at this time and one lane northbound is closed. Traffic is getting by via one lane only. This situation is not expected to change in the near future. There is an issue in up righting the truck as the trailer has sheered open spilling some of the contents (household items) out onto the ground.

The following link to a DelDOT traffic camera shows the scene and can be viewed to also check for traffic conditions or see when the scene is cleared.