An Omaha man suffered life-threatening injuries this morning when the semi he was driving rolled over near Council Bluffs, crushing the truck’s cab. According to the Council Bluffs Police Department, 57-year old Timothy Acker was reported to be in critical condition at Creighton University Hospital in Omaha following the crash that occurred around 7:30 a.m.
Authorities say Acker was driving a tractor-trailer loaded with irrigation equipment, when the load apparently shifted as he was taking the Southbound Interstate 29 off-ramp to Highway 92. The shifting load caused him to lose control and resulted in the rig rolling onto the driver’s side and partially crushing the driver’s compartment. It took crews with the Council Bluffs Fire Department 30-minutes to extricate Acker from the wreckage.
The crash shut down the ramp for nearly three-hours. Officials say light snow was falling at the time, and the roadway was wet, but the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, though alcohol and drugs appear not to have been a factor.