A tractor-trailer overturned and caught fire on Interstate 44 in Pulaski County, seriously injuring a motorcyclist on Saturday evening.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the incident occurred around 5:48 p.m. on eastbound I-44 near the 157-mile marker.
Authorities reported that a 34-year-old man from Lockport, New York, was driving the eastbound tractor-trailer when a tire failure caused the vehicle to cross into the median, overturn, and ignite.
Debris from the crash impacted the westbound lanes, striking two Harley-Davidson motorcycles traveling in the opposite direction.
A 52-year-old rider from South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. A second rider, a 60-year-old from Wisconsin Rapids, was not injured.
The truck driver suffered minor injuries and received medical treatment on his own.
The tractor-trailer was deemed a total loss and towed from the scene, while both motorcycles were damaged but able to be driven away.
The MSHP is continuing its investigation into the crash.