Eastbound I-40 reopens after wrecks near Garner

Two wrecks involving two tractor-trailers and a pickup truck led authorities to close eastbound Interstate 40 south of Garner Friday morning.

The wrecks, which happened around 6 a.m. near Exit 307, left one tractor-trailer overturned on the shoulder and traffic backed up for a few miles.

Investigators say the first wreck happened when a tractor-trailer driver lost control of his truck in the left lane. He over-corrected and flipped, ending up on the right hand shoulder of the highway.

The second wreck happened when another tractor-trailer slowed down to try and help. A pickup truck ran into the back of the second tractor-trailer, authorities said.

The drivers of the overturned tractor-trailer and the pickup truck were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.

The state Department of Transportation initially closed the right eastbound lane, but all eastbound lanes were closed at U.S. Highway 70 by mid-morning as crews worked to right the overturned truck and move it off the highway.

The interstate and the entrance ramps off U.S. 70 were reopened before noon.