A series of crashes along eastbound I-40 on Jan. 2 caused widespread traffic disruptions throughout the day, closing lanes for hours as emergency crews, wreckers and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation worked multiple collision scenes.

The first incident was reported shortly after 6 a.m. at mile marker 327 near Roland, involving a multi-vehicle crash with two semi trucks.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Troop C reported that all eastbound lanes were blocked at about 6:10 a.m., prompting a full closure of the interstate.

Motorists were diverted off I-40 at Hwy. 64, then north- bound on Hwy. 64D to rejoin eastbound traffic near the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line.

According to OHP, the crash at mile marker 327 was a secondary collision. A commercial motor vehicle driven Sergio H. Rivera, 26, of Forney, Texas, rolled over and came to rest blocking both eastbound lanes.

A second commercial motor vehicle, driven by Maria Dutton, 59, of Alma, Ark., struck the overturned truck. Rivera’s vehicle then traveled into the cable barrier, while Dutton’s vehicle left the roadway to the right and struck a tree.

Both drivers were injured, along with one passenger in the second vehicle.

Trooper Spencer Schmille of the Sequoyah County Detachment investigated the collision.

As crews worked that scene, another injury collision was reported early that afternoon at mile marker 323 eastbound near Muldrow. At around 1:15 p.m., both eastbound lanes were closed while multiple troopers responded. That closure, combined with the earlier crash near Roland, led to significant congestion along the corridor.

By 2:20 p.m., eastbound I-40 remained closed at Hwy. 64B near Muldrow, while the earlier closure near Roland was still in place. Authorities advised drivers to continue using Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 64D as alternate routes, noting that the Roland-area closure was expected to be cleared by mid-afternoon.

Progress was made later in the day as crews cleared debris and damaged vehicles. By about 3:40 p.m., all eastbound lanes were reopened near Muldrow at mile marker 319, while traffic near Roland was narrowed to one lane around mile marker 330. At about 5:11 p.m., the left lane at mile marker 327 reopened, ending a closure that had lasted nearly 11 hours.

The crash at mile marker 323 eastbound was fully cleared by 5:02 p.m., after being closed for about one hour and 42 minutes, according to OHP.