I-41 now open after semis removed

UPDATE:  The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reports that, as of 3:15 AM,  I-41 near HWY 60 is now open in both directions.   The three semi-trailer trucks have been removed and highway crews are doing some final snow removal at this time, but traffic is flowing in both directions.

ORIGINAL:

The three semis in the ditch on the southbound side of I-41 caused the biggest problems- All of southbound closed down around seven tonight and 15 tow truck worked to pull the trucks out of the ditch.

Then crews turned their attention to a semi on the northbound side-closing down one lane at first- Nearly a dozen state patrol and Washington county sheriff's deputies directed traffic and kept the on ramps closed as the crews worked.

One official tells me this is the largest crash he's ever seen… and it just wasn't safe to remove these semis yesterday.

"Based on the weather conditions and the other traffic conditions, the highway already being shut down for numerous hours, we determined its safest to just let them remain in place until I was a better time to move them out," said Lieutenant Ryan Herman with the Washington County Sheriff's Office. 

Lt. Herman says he's surprised no one was seriously injured in the crash and the lesson here is to slow down in white out conditions. And he says, if you ever find yourself in a crash like this, do not get out of your car. Wait for police to safely escort you away.