Truck carrying pigs crashes on I-40 West; crews work to clean up mess

A tractor-trailer carrying 2,200 pigs crashed Tuesday morning along Interstate 40 West in south Raleigh, creating traffic delays in the area for hours, police said.

The wreck happened shortly after 10 a.m. between South Saunders Street and Lake Wheeler Road, forcing authorities to shut down the two right lanes of the highway. Police said the tractor-trailer lost control after a vehicle changed lanes in front of the truck.

The truck ran off the road, down an embankment and came to rest on the on ramp from South Saunders Street. The driver of the vehicle responsible for the wreck was charged with an unsafe lane change.

The tractor-trailer was removed from the scene at about 4:30 p.m., but police said some lane closures could remain in effect through the evening commute and into the nighttime hours.

The road completely reopened Tuesday night but the ramp from South Saunders to I-40 West was expected to remain closed until after midnight. North Carolina Department of Transportation officials said crews will replace more than 100 feet of guardrail damaged in the wreck Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

No serious injuries were reported in the wreck, police said, but some pigs were killed.