DEARBORN, Mo. (AP) — Missouri authorities say an armed trucker is in custody after his hours-long standoff at a rest stop near Kansas City, Missouri, forced the closure of the freeway ahead of the holiday weekend.
The State Highway Patrol said in a Twitter post Friday afternoon that the man was arrested at the Interstate 29 rest stop, though it offered no additional details about his arrest. His name was not released.
The patrol said the standoff began shortly before 9 a.m. following reports of a man pointing a rifle at traffic. Authorities evacuated the rest area, leaving only the unidentified trucker and officers.
Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe says no shots were fired.
Televised aerial footage shows traffic in both directions of I-29 backed up for miles. The highways have been reopened to travel.
— MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) December 23, 2016
(UPDATE 12:50 p.m.) – The Missouri State Highway Patrol is now rerouting traffic off of Southbound I-29 in St. Joseph to US 36 East to I-35 South. The patrol said the traffic is so bad that they increased the distances to the start of the reroute beginning in St. Joseph.
NB I-29 rest area near Platte City regarding an armed individual pointing a rifle at traffic. NB & SB interstate traffic is being diverted.
— MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) December 23, 2016
Another option if you are heading north toward st Joe today and need to avoid I29 is to take I35 NB to 36 WB.
— MoDOT Kansas City (@MoDOT_KC) December 23, 2016
(Update 10 a.m.): Both north and southbound traffic on I-29 are being diverted due to an incident in Platte County.
Traffic on southbound I-29 is being diverted near the Dearborn exit and traffic on northbound near the Tracy exit.
Preliminary information we’ve received from the Missouri State Highway Patrol is that the closure is not related to a crash. Authorities are possibly working an incident involving a weapon at a rest area along that route. Troop A is working the scene. As we learn more information we will updated this post.
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Southbound traffic on I-29 is being diverted to the Dearborn exit.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the reroute is due to an incident in Platte County and they ask for motorists patience as traffic changes will be in place until further notice.