A tractor-trailer left Interstate 255 in south St. Louis County on Wednesday, destroying three homes and two parked cars. The truck driver, a 52-year-old man from Jerseyville, Illinois, died at the scene. The two people in the SUV he struck first, a 73-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl, suffered only minor injuries.
Homeowners Alice Kosick and her husband were inside when the truck tore through their garage. Neighbors and passing truck drivers helped them escape. Their home is likely a total loss, and both of their cars are gone. “It was like a bomb went off,” Kosick told reporters. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is still investigating why the truck left the road.
Stories like this land differently on the Suncoast, where so many neighborhoods sit within earshot of I-75, I-275, or Highway 41. Highway safety experts say barriers and setback rules vary widely from state to state, and aging infrastructure near interstates is an ongoing concern nationwide. Whatever the investigation finds, it’s a reminder to know your insurance coverage and to check on the neighbors who live closest to the on-ramps.
Does highway traffic near your home ever worry you? Tell us in the comments.
