Truck Dumped Metal Stampings On I-77 North, Closing Highway

CLEVELAND — A load of scrap metal stampings were scattered along I-77 north on Tuesday afternoon, shutting down a portion of the highway during rush hour, and damaging numerous cars, Cleveland police announced.

Police provided details on the highway closure on Tuesday night, saying that at 3:30 p.m., a commercial truck lost its load of metal stampings. The stampings then caused tire damage to a large number of cars. Police could not say how many cars had been damaged.

The dumped haul of stampings closed I-77 north from Grant Avenue to the I-490 west split for about four and a half hours, police said. Drivers had to be detoured around the area during rush hour.

The driver of the truck was cited for dropping the metal on the roadway and for not covering his haul by Cleveland police. The Ohio State Highway Patrol then conducted a more thorough inspection of the truck and issued federal citations for driver's license violations and load violations.

The truck was taken out of service, police said, until it could properly secure its haul.

Cleveland police have been compiling a damage to property report for the incident with all known victims. Anyone whose car was damaged because of the metal stampings can file a police report online.

A Cleveland police spokesperson said they expect more victims of tire damage to come forward.