Police: I-380 crash in Cedar Rapids near 42nd Street caused by wrong-way driver

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The Iowa DOT reports I-380 southbound was blocked between Exit 23 (42nd Street) and Exit 22 (32nd Street and Glass Road) due to a crash Thursday morning.

Cedar Rapids Police said the crash happened because of someone driving the wrong way on the interstate.

It started before 9:30 a.m. when an individual was reported at a school removing clothing.

Police said that person left, got into a car and drove north on I-380 in the southbound lanes.

Police said the person tried to drive between a semi and passenger vehicle, but hit both of them near 42nd Street.

The semi swerved, overturning and spilling its haul of grain on the interstate. The other passenger vehicle ended up in the median.

Police said the offending driver then kept driving north before hitting another semi and passenger vehicle. Police have not reported the severity of that second crash.

The second crash did, however, cause the offending driver to stop the vehicle, before removing all of their clothing. The person then ran away.

Police later found the person near 42 Street and Center Point Road NE, where the person was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Charges are pending.

Police have not reported whether there were any injuries in this incident.

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