After 9 months, trailer that plunged off Dames Point Bridge salvaged from river

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A trailer that plunged off the Dames Point Bridge just before Christmas last year was lifted out of the St. Johns River on Wednesday afternoon.

The container sat in mud near the south bank of the river ever since a chain-reaction crash in Dec. 21, 2018. The cab that was pulling the trailer was left dangling on the edge of the bridge, but did not go over the edge and the driver was unhurt. One person in another vehicle in the pileup was hurt.

A witness who drove past the incident told News4Jax at the time that it looked like the vehicles had "played ping-pong" against the sides of the bridge.

PHOTOS: Images of bridge crash

Authorities said the trailer was carrying water, some of which came loose and spilled into the river. Shortly after the incident, concerned boaters helped clean up the water bottles to keep it from polluting the St. Johns River and harming marine life.

The heavily damaged trailer was placed on a barge and was being taken to Blount Island.