Semitruck crushes car, driver survives with minor injuries

SEATTLE (Gray News) – The driver of a car flattened by a semitruck on a bridge in Washington state Tuesday afternoon managed to escape with only minor injuries, according to troopers.

Trooper Rocky Oliphant with Washington State Patrol said a Nissan Altima was hit from behind and folded in half before the semitruck came to a stop on top of the car.

“There’s really not a word to describe this collision,” Oliphant said in a Tweet. “In my 14-year career, I have never seen anything like it.”

All lanes of the bridge were closed while crews worked to get the semitruck off the car.

Oliphant said traffic was causing the bridge to move, making the semitruck unstable. Eventually, a tow was able to lift the front end of the semi and lanes were re-opened to traffic.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan Altimas have an overall 5-star safety rating on models made after 2012.