Trucker charged with DWI in crash that shut down I-40 for four hours

SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A commercial driver has been charged with DWI after troopers say the cab of a tractor-trailer came off a highway overpass and landed on the eastbound lanes of I-40 Sunday night.

The Highway Patrol says the tractor-trailer cab was headed south on Highway 403 just inside Sampson County when it went off the right side of the highway, down an embankment and ended up on the interstate. It overturned into the westbound lanes of I-40, closing the highway for 4 hours.

James Butler, of Clinton, was seriously injured in the crash. The 33-year-old truck driver is in intensive care at Wake Med in Raleigh. He’s been charged with operating a commercial vehicle while alcohol remaining in the body, DWI commercial vehicle, and failure to maintain lane.

A second wreck happened in the other lanes.

Faison Fire & Rescue says more than 45 firefighters from four departments worked the accident scene Sunday night.

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