The westbound lanes of Interstate 64 in New Kent, Virginia, were closed for about eight hours on Wednesday afternoon and evening after a box truck collided with a tractor-trailer, causing a large fire. Both drivers were charged with traffic violations in connection with the Virginia truck accident.
According to local news sources, the accident took place on west I-64 around one in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 26. A box truck diver, 34-year-old Thomas P. Seay Jr. of Chesterfield, was traveling west when he lost control of his vehicle and drive off of the road and onto the right shoulder. His truck struck a stopped 18-wheeler tractor-trailer operated by 26-year-old Jesse Robinson. The force of the collision caused both trucks to burst into flames. The fire quickly spread to the nearby woods.
The truck crash took place near the Bottoms Bridge exit (Exit 249) at mile marker 205. Police encouraged drivers to exit the interstate at Exit 211 to avoid backups and delays.
The Virginia State Police reported that both drivers suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the truck crash. Robinson was transported by ambulance to the VCU medical center for treatment, while Seay was treated at the scene of the truck accident by emergency responders.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reported that the westbound lanes of I-64 were closed for about eight hours as firefighters put out the blaze and as authorities investigated the crash. At one point, during the peak of rush hour traffic, the truck accidents caused a 13-mile backup on the road.
Seay was charged with reckless driving in the wake of the truck accident, while Robinson was charged with improper stopping on an interstate.