TOWN OF MONROE - Several thousand pounds of corn spilled on the Wisconsin 11 ramp at the Argyle Interchange at about 10 p.m. Thursday caused the interchange to be blocked for about six hours.
According to a Green County Sheriff's Department news release, Kevin D. Gille, 50, South Wayne, was driving a semi tractor-trailer unit that was towing a hopper full of corn. Gille was westbound on Wis. 11 when the trailer frame failed, causing the sides to buckle. Sheriff Mark Rohloff said Gille was not driving erratically, but the trailer was probably overloaded.
"The rig snapped just behind the fifth wheel and just split right down," Rohloff said.
Investigation determined that the gross weight overloaded the vehicle and contributed to the trailer frame failure. An investigation continues.
Gille was uninjured and the truck was not damaged, but the trailer was severely damaged.
The Green County Highway Department assisted with closing the road and removing the corn from the roadway. Gille Farms, of South Wayne, was cited for improper display of plates and failure to maintain brakes.
The westbound lanes of Wis. 11 were restricted to one lane of traffic and reopened at about 3 a.m. Friday morning. Crews from the Green County Highway Department, L&S Towing and Gille Farms finished cleaning the remaining corn at about noon Friday. GCHD Commissioner Jeff Wunschel said most of the corn was salvaged and some of his crew brought the corn back to Gille's farm. He said they had a skid loader to shovel up most of the corn and the rest was disposed of.
According to a Green County Sheriff's Department news release, Kevin D. Gille, 50, South Wayne, was driving a semi tractor-trailer unit that was towing a hopper full of corn. Gille was westbound on Wis. 11 when the trailer frame failed, causing the sides to buckle. Sheriff Mark Rohloff said Gille was not driving erratically, but the trailer was probably overloaded.
"The rig snapped just behind the fifth wheel and just split right down," Rohloff said.
Investigation determined that the gross weight overloaded the vehicle and contributed to the trailer frame failure. An investigation continues.
Gille was uninjured and the truck was not damaged, but the trailer was severely damaged.
The Green County Highway Department assisted with closing the road and removing the corn from the roadway. Gille Farms, of South Wayne, was cited for improper display of plates and failure to maintain brakes.
The westbound lanes of Wis. 11 were restricted to one lane of traffic and reopened at about 3 a.m. Friday morning. Crews from the Green County Highway Department, L&S Towing and Gille Farms finished cleaning the remaining corn at about noon Friday. GCHD Commissioner Jeff Wunschel said most of the corn was salvaged and some of his crew brought the corn back to Gille's farm. He said they had a skid loader to shovel up most of the corn and the rest was disposed of.