Last week on Interstate 81, the driver of a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix suffered serious injuries when a tractor-trailer slammed into the back of his vehicle in the northbound lane at approximately 4:20 pm. An eyewitness estimated the truck’s speed at 70 mph. A Dodge Caravan and a second 18-wheeler were also involved in the accident. The truck accident shut down both interstate lanes for about four hours.
A Virginia State Trooper said the truck driver failed to notice the slowed traffic when he slammed into the Pontiac. The truck then sideswiped another 18-wheeler before hitting the Dodge Caravan. None of the Caravan’s five passengers was seriously injured. The truck then came to a stop after plowing through a guardrail.
Another eyewitness said the truck driver was driving too fast for the conditions at the time. He said the 18-wheeler sped by him as traffic was slowing down to approximately 15 mph. Cleanup efforts from another 18-wheeler’s spilled contents the night before caused the slowed traffic.
Representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad were on-hand at the scene. A helicopter airlifted the Pontiac driver to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Authorities are charging the truck driver with reckless driving.
The impact of an 18-wheeler can be serious and even fatal. If you or a loved one suffers injuries in a truck accident, a Northern Virginia personal injury lawyer can help you receive compensation. Contact Peter DePaolis, a Virginia personal injury attorney at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis.