The westbound lanes of Route 40 in Fayette County were closed for more than three hours Sunday after an 18-wheeler crashed while descending the mountain east of Hopwood in North Union Township. State police said the 1998 Freightliner tractor-trailer, operated by James Howell III, 40, of Port Orange, Fla., was westbound about 2:30 p.m., when, just prior to the runaway truck ramp, the driver lost control and struck an embankment. Police said the truck then jackknifed and traveled back onto the roadway before striking a concrete median and coming to rest, blocking both westbound lanes. Howell suffered minor injuries in the crash.

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