Pennies covered road after big rig wreck in Delaware
NEW CASTLE, DE -- A truckload of pennies spilled onto the freeway near New Castle, Delaware after a tractor-trailer overturned and caught fire.
The crash happened just before 2am Thursday on I-95 near I-295.
Police say the big rig, carrying blank pennies and headed to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, slammed into a Jersey barrier, overturned and caught fire. Tens of thousands of blank pennies covered the roadway.
The driver suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the scene.
There was no immediate word what led to the crash or if the driver would face any charges.
For hours, throughout the morning rush hour, multiple crews worked to clear the pennies, debris and spilled gasoline from the highway.
Delaware State Police shut down all lanes of northbound I-95, forcing traffic off the roadway at the Rt. 141/Basin Rd. exit.
Traffic was detoured onto U.S. Rt. 13 North to I-295 North.
Action News found a huge backup Airport Road as commuters who had been detoured off of I-95 inched along.
Some were shocked to learn a sea of copper was part of the delay.
"I should've been at work a half hour ago," said Nancy Stubbs of Elkton, Md.
"It's a mess out here," said Daryll Bradley of Bear, Del.
"Nothing you can do about," said another motorist. "We're stuck here."
