Hutchinson River Parkway Crash Injures Truck Driver, Backs Up Traffic Updated January 23, 2012 1:48pm

The Bronx-Whitestone Bridge was clogged after an accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway on Jan. 23, 2012. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

THE BRONX — A tractor trailer illegally on the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx crashed into an overpass — leaving the driver seriously injured and triggering big traffic backups Monday morning, officials said.

The massive vehicle caused damage to a northbound overpass near Wechchester Ave. about 11 a.m., transportation and fire officials said.

Tractor trailers are not permitted onto parkways, transportation officials said.

The driver, who was not identified, was taken to Jacobi Medical Center with serious injuries, officials said.

All of the parkway's northbound lanes were shut down while inspectors looked into the damage, a state Department of Transportation spokesman said. Traffic was detoured to the Westchester Ave. exit ramp.

No one else was injured.

The accident caused delays that stretched all the way to the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which connects to the Bronx to northern Queens.

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By Wil Cruz, DNAinfo.com

Follow Wil on Twitter @wilcruz365