Hit-and-Run with Semi Truck on I-55 in Festus – Seeking Witnesses/Dashcam Footage

Hi all, I was involved in a serious hit-and-run wreck on Saturday, October 4 around 9:25 PM while merging onto northbound I-55 in Festus, Missouri, headed toward St. Louis.

There was construction up ahead where two lanes narrowed into one. While merging into the single lane with my signal on, a semi-truck came flying up the left shoulder going 80–90 mph to bypass traffic and get in front of me before the lane turned into one. With concrete medians on my right and the truck on my left, I had nowhere to go. My car collided with the truck’s rear trailer, destroying the entire driver side of my car, and crumbling, the engine and engine bay. By sheer luck, I was able to break fast enough as to not crumble my entire car. Unfortunately, however, the driver sped off.

Details I Know:

(1) Location: Festus, MO on-ramp to northbound I-55 (near Herculaneum/Arnold).

(2) Truck: Semi with a white trailer. No other identifiable features (cab color, DOT number, hubcaps, etc. were impossible to see at that speed).

(3) Witness: The driver behind me (who honked and called 911) has spoken with police, but she couldn’t get identifying details either. She explained that she honked to warn me because she realized how quickly the semi was attempting to pass everyone on the left shoulder.

(5) Traffic was heavily backed up right after the crash. There must have been 100 cars behind us who may have seen something or recorded it on dashcam.

I’m trying to identify the semi-truck driver. I’ve paid quite a bit into my insurance policy, and thankfully have full coverage on the car, but without identifying the truck, the payout won’t be enough to replace my car with a reliable used one.

I’ve called nearby businesses about highway-facing cameras, but few businesses had one that gave a good view, and for the ones who did, many of them stated that footage release requires a police order. I called these businesses because there are no MoDOT/state cameras within 16 miles north or south of the site.

If anyone was on I-55 northbound around Festus that night and has dashcam footage or remembers any details (company name, trailer markings, even a partial plate), it would be a huge help.

Thanks in advance to anyone in the Festus, Herculaneum, or Arnold area who might be able to share info or advice.