Photo courtesy Highway Patrol

Casselton  (CSi)  The North Dakota Highway Patrol reports a Valley City woman was injured when she tried to avoid debris on the roadway while driving her car on I-94.

The report says, 39 year old Margie Carlson of Valley City was operating her Chevrolet,  Monday about 4:50-p.m., at the Maple River bridge westbound on I-94 in the left lane.  She came across a large piece of debris (see photo) on the roadway in the left lane.  Because of other traffic, Carlson was unable to swerve right to avoid the debris.  She attempted to swerve left toward the median, struck the debris and lost control of the vehicle.  After losing control, the front of the Chevrolet struck a guardrail on the east side of the Maple River bridge and then rolled onto its driver’s side.  The Chevrolet came to rest on its driver’s side facing north.

Carlson was able to extricate herself from the vehicle.  She was transported after the crash by personal vehicle for medical treatment of minor injuries.

The Highway Patrol says the debris she struck was the step system from the side of a semi tractor, most likely the driver’s side.  It consisted of aluminum steps and fiberglass paneling about 12-14 feet long.  The fiberglass was a light, mint green color with a thin darker green pin strip down the center of the fiberglass.

If anyone has additional information about the debris, they should call (701) 328-1081.

The crash remains under investigation.

Assisting at the scene were:  The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Casselton Ambulance, and Casselton Fire Department.