All of the southbound lanes on I-295 in Chesterfield County, Virginia (VA) were closed temporarily on Aug. 14 after a serious four-car accident.
The Virginia State Police stated that a 2005 BMW was going north on I-295 at mile marker 15 when it crossed the median and smashed into a guardrail. The car continued north into oncoming traffic, hitting a Ford Expedition that was going south.
The SUV flipped in the median after the collision. A van going the same direction was hit by the BMW, and then also hit a tractor-trailer. The truck then jackknifed across the left lane.
Traffic was diverted to State Route 10 while crews worked to clear the highway.
The driver of the BMW was taken to a Richmond hospital to treat minor injuries. He has been charged with reckless driving, not having a driver’s license and marijuana possession. It is not believed that the driver was high on drugs at the time of the wreck. Fatigue is believed to be a contributing factor in the case.
The case is still under investigation. The highway was reopened within two hours of the crash.
This incident is a reminder of the importance of being well rested when driving on the highway. It takes just a few seconds of inattention or nodding off for a very serious incident to unfold. It is very fortunate that this wreck did not lead to more serious injuries