JOPLIN, Mo. — A crash on Interstate 44, near Joplin, this afternoon (6/28), caused traffic to significantly slow in both directions.

The crash happened around 2:00 p.m. in the westbound lane of I-44, near mile marker eight (Rangeline Road exit).

Officers with the Joplin Police Department (JPD), who responded to the scene, said the driver of a blue “touring style” motorcycle, lost control, and slid into the center median guard cables.

Photos taken of the single vehicle motorcycle crash that happened near the Rangeline exit on I-44.

Police said the driver of that motorcycle, a 19-year-old male, was taken to a Joplin hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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The driver of the motorcycle was the only injury and no other vehicles were involved in the accident, police said.

While officers with JPD investigated the accident and towing worked to remove the motorcycle and debris, traffic in the eastbound lanes of I-44 came to a slow crawl, slowing down near the Main Street exit, two miles to the west of where the accident took place.

Officers said the motorcycle and debris in the median of the interstate were cleared around 3:30 p.m.