Overview
- Police say a Mercedes left the roadway around 6:30 a.m. near the Heckerdamm exit, hit a barrier and an electronic sign, and came to rest on its side.
- A paramedic driving home from a night shift and a nearby highway patrol initiated first aid before fire crews arrived.
- Firefighters stabilized the vehicle, cut off the roof, freed the trapped driver, and took him to a hospital for intensive care.
- The Autobahn remains closed until Monday so engineers can evaluate the compromised traffic-control structure, with traffic rerouted via the Heckerdamm junction.
- Southbound lanes were fully blocked and the opposite carriageway was briefly closed for a rescue helicopter, and a specialist firm removed spilled operating fluids.