Trooper injured at I-55 crash scene

• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: May 3, 2008 - Page: 3B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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MANCHAC — A state trooper was injured Thursday on Interstate 55 near Manchac while doing follow-up work in an investigation of last week’s chain-reaction crash that killed a Springfield volunteer firefighter and a 43-year-old Kenner man.

Trooper First Class Joseph Kendall had parked his patrol car, with emergency lights flashing, blocking the left lane of I-55 northbound while he worked around 1 p.m., a written statement from State Police Troop L says.

The driver of an 18-wheeler failed to notice a car slowing down in front of him in the right lane, attempted to stop, lost control and veered left, troopers said. The cargo trailer of the 18-wheeler struck the State Police car instead, troopers said.

Kendall dropped to the ground while the cargo trailer passed over him, but it struck his legs, chest and head, according to the news release. The tractor-trailer flipped and slid another 80 feet before stopping.

Kendall, who joined State Police eight years ago, was released from North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond after he was treated for a broken ankle and a gash to his forehead, troopers said.

The driver of the 18-wheeler, Benjamin Gravely of Bolivar, Mo., was not injured, but he was cited for reckless operation of a vehicle, troopers said.

Kendall was investigating a series of collisions involving eight vehicles that occurred in the same location Sunday. That crash killed two people and injured six others.