Semi on I-94 in Moorhead bangs 3 overpasses above before stopping

Boom ... ba-da-boom, ba-da-boom.

A truck hauling a railroad crane strummed its way under three overpasses along Interstate 94 in Moorhead, Minn., late Sunday morning, clogging up summertime traffic below and slightly damaging the bridge decks above, authorities said.

The mishap occurred about 11:45 a.m. on westbound I-94, first banging the overpass for 34th Street, then rolling along for more than a mile before hitting in rapid succession the railroad track bridge and a 20th Street overpass, according to the State Patrol.

The crane, a piece of equipment made to glide along on railroad tracks, was dislodged from the truck and came to a mangled rest along the right shoulder of the interstate.

One westbound lane remained open throughout the incident, and eastbound traffic was unaffected. The scene was clear by early afternoon.

A car got caught up in some of the debris and needed the attention of a tow company, the patrol added. There were no injuries.

The "semi … exceeded height limitations," the patrol said in an obvious but necessary statement.

State transportation officials inspected the bridges for structural damage and only the pedestrian/bicycle portion of the 20th Street overpass was sufficiently damaged for it to remain closed indefinitely.

The truck driver, Wayne C. Thompson, 26, of Cherokee, Iowa, was cited for an "over-height violation," said patrol Sgt. Jesse Grabow. The truck was registered to BNSF Railway, Grabow added.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482