Historic Preble County covered bridge closed after damaged caused by semi

PREBLE COUNTY — A historic covered bridge in Preble County is now closed after being damaged by a semi-tractor trailer.

>> PHOTOS: Over 130-year-old Preble County bridge to remain closed after damage caused by semi

Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson says the accident happened on August 5 when a semi-tractor trailer not following a construction detour on SR 122 ended up attempting to go through the Brubaker Covered Bridge on Brubaker Road just outside of Gratis.

The driver made it around a third or quarter of the way through the bridge when the roof became lodged on the top the semi trailer, Simpson said.

“He got stopped, but here’s significant damage to the bridge. It’s going to be closed for a while, but the county Engineer’s Office says that it can be fixed, it can be re-built,” Simpson said.

Simpson says the driver, who was was heading to Indianapolis, indicated he had been driving a semi for about three or four months.

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“So I don’t think a lot of experience there,” Simpson said. “But I don’t think it takes a lot of experience to follow directions from road signs.”

The driver told deputies he was following his GPS for guidance.

“We follow GPS and we think, ‘well, what’s on GPS has got to work.’ And it’s just not the case. Sometimes the GPS units just aren’t your friend,” Simpson said.

The driver was cited for driving on a closed roadway and failure to control his vehicle, according to Simpson.

Simpson says the bridge is around 135-years-old.

“We have several of these in the county. All of them with the exception of the one that was moved into Eaton, you can travel across on a daily basis. So a lot of history in these bridges over the years. So it’s important. Preble County is a covered bridge county so it’s important that they can fix this – thank God they can fix it – and it’s not to the point where it either has to be rebuilt which then it’s not the bridge that it was, or worse, shutting the road down,” Simpson said.

We will update this story once the bridge officially reopens.

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