A truck carrying 40,000 pounds of chicken feathers overturned on northbound Interstate 5 in Federal Way Wednesday morning, causing a 7-mile backup at the height of rush hour.
The crash happened around 3:20 a.m. at S. 320th Street, but it took four hours to get everything cleaned up.
The driver, who was OK, told KING 5 he fell asleep at the wheel. He said he overcompensated after hitting a guardrail, causing the truck to flip over.
The Washington State Patrol cited him for negligent driving in the second degree, which carries a $550 penalty. Had the crash involved another vehicle, or even been fatal, the penalties could have been far more severe. Trooper Rick Johnson says the driver reported he didn’t feel tired and had plenty of rest, including the weekend off, and his logbooks were in order.
The driver said he was hauling the feathers from Foster Farms in Kelso to Mount Vernon. The trailer full of chicken feathers was scheduled to be taken by another truck and driver north of the border to West Coast Reduction Ltd. in Vancouver, B.C. A spokesman for the Canada-based company said they use chicken feathers to create high-protein farm animal feed.
WSDOT said the truck was hauling 40,000 pounds worth of feathers.
He said this was the first time in his 27 years as a truck driver that he's had an accident.
The entire freeway was blocked for a time before one lane was able to be reopened for drivers. All lanes were opened around 7:30 a.m., but not before the backup extended into Tacoma.
The wet feathers left a smelly mess.
WSDOT workers who had to help clean it up said they were just getting off a long shift when the crash happened. They had to work overtime to help get the freeway back open. Three tow trucks had to help right the truck.
Chicken feathers are considered valuable because they can be used for multiple purposes including diapers, insulation, paper, plastics, and for decorative purposes, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agricultural Food and Environment. The school says some poultry farmers raise chickens specifically for their feathers.
