Boxes Everywhere. A Rolled Semi Shut Down I-5 Off-Ramp in Cowlitz County

The northbound I-5 off-ramp at milepost 36 in Cowlitz County was blocked this morning for a while after a commercial semi-truck rolled over and dumped its entire flatbed load into the ditch.

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Washington State Patrol Trooper Dakota Russell was on scene by 10 AM and reported the driver walked away with only minor injuries.

Pictures from the Semi-Rollover Scene Tell the Story

The semi is tipped completely on its side, trailer and all, with the cab visible at the front of the wreck.

The flatbed behind it was carrying stacks of flat empty boxes, which were scattered across the ditch to the left of the off-ramp. It is the kind of debris field that takes time and manpower to clean up properly before the ramp is fully usable again. It looks like some traffic was able to slide by on the right, but it definitely slowed traffic in the area.

The location adds an interesting layer to the story because the Longview Industrial and Port Areas sign is clearly visible just ahead of the crash site in the photo.

This is a heavily commercial corridor, a working industrial and port access route where semi traffic is constant and the off-ramp geometry demands respect from drivers hauling large loads.

A Familiar Story on a Familiar Stretch

Off-ramp rollovers involving commercial vehicles are a recurring theme on Washington highways, and the pattern is usually the same: speed, load weight, and ramp geometry combine to catch drivers off guard.

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An empty flatbed load actually works in the cleanup crew's favor here. Flat boxes in a ditch are far easier to recover than liquid spills, live animals, or hazardous materials.

WSP asked drivers to be patient in the area while the scene was cleared.

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