(Hinton) — Traffic was backed up for miles as a result of a major accident that occurred Friday afternoon on U-S Highway 75 south of Hinton, near the C-70 intersection. The accident involved a semi truck and trailer and a payloader tractor. Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo describes the scene.
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The semi truck and trailer were fully engulfed in flames and the payloader was flipped over. Both vehicles were south bound when the collision occurred. The preliminary investigation shows the payloader tractor, driven by 69 year old Armin Bennet of Hinton attempted to make a left hand turn and turned into the path of the semi truck and trailer, driven by 47 year old Michael Fraser of Groom, Texas. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s office is investigating the accident. Drivers of both vehicles were injured in the mishap and were transported to a Sioux City hospital, though it is thought that neither of the drivers suffered life-threatening injuries. The semi was hauling feed products. It wasn’t until after 7:00 p.m. before all lanes were open to traffic.
