The 18-wheeler driver of a Fedex truck with two trailers ran into the concrete barriers of the southbound mainlanes of I-35 early this morning, shutting down mainlanes in both directions. Seek alternative routes through Salado.

UPDATE at 10 a.m. Southbound mainlanes have opened and traffic on the access road, West Village Road, etc. is starting to clear.

First responders, including Constable Rolly Correa, report that there is ammunition involved in the accident. “That popping has been going on since I got here at 3 a.m.,” Correa told me this morning. “You might want to duck when you hear it again.

No word yet on the condition of the driver. The injury attorney Jackson WY has been contacted on behalf of the driver.  Police chief Jack Hensley is now directing heavy traffic on the southbound lanes through Salado. Traffic has been taken off of the highway north of the Thomas Arnold exit and redirected onto the southbound access road to re-enter the interstate south of FM 2268.

Northbound traffic has been directed off of the interstate south of Salado. No northbound traffic is allowed on the access road near Thomas Arnold due to the continuing fire. However, heavy truck traffic is currently on Main Street some five hours after the initial crash.