Five people were injured in a multi-vehicle pileup north of Platte City on I-29 Monday evening.

At about 5:30pm, a semi driven Robert Sanko of Topeka rammed into several cars that had slowed down as traffic increased in a construction zone. The Freightliner pushed three cars and another big rig off the highway. A total of six cars were damaged.

Sanko, 45, suffered moderate injuries and was transported to North Kansas City Hospital.

Jerry Wofford’s Volkswagen was the first vehicle hit. The 65-year-old Topeka man suffered serious injuries, and was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center. He is listed in critical condition.

The semi then hit a GMC Sierra driven by Robert Dixon, 42, of Kansas City, Missouri. Dixon was transported to North Kansas City Hospital with minor injuries.

An Acura driven by Debra Nichols, 55, of St Joseph was next. Nichols was transported to Heartland with minor injuries. She was treated and released.

The Freightliner then hit a Kenworth driven by Willie McIntosh, 53, of Mt Grove, Missouri, who was treated and released for minor injuries at Heartland. The Kenworth then hit a sixth vehicle, a Ford F-350 driven by an Iowa man who was not hurt.