Henrico County Tractor-Trailer Accident Kills One in Virginia | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A driver has been charged with reckless driving after a Henrico County tractor-trailer accident that left one person dead. 

The Virginia commercial truck accident took place on Friday, January 18, at around 5 a.m. on I-64 West near mile marker 246 and Newport News, Virginia. According to Virginia State Police, 19-year-old Anesha Daniel lost control of her sedan and ran off the right side of the road. While Daniel attempted to get help from passing drivers, a tractor-trailer approaching the scene was unable to avoid the accident and crashed into the first vehicle. The big-rig then struck a second vehicle, which was pinned against the interstate’s guardrail. The accident caused the truck to leak fuel and resulted in a fire. 

Because diesel fuel was involved in the crash, and because both the truck and second vehicle caught on fire, a local HazMat team was called into the accident scene to aid in cleanup. The investigation into the crash and the removal of the vehicles caused authorities to close I-64 and reroute traffic. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reported a four-mile backup during the morning commute due to the fatal vehicle accident. 

The male driver of the second vehicle struck by the tractor-trailer was killed in the crash. The driver of the truck, 51-year-old Darryl Bernard Lawrence of Norfolk, suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover. Daniel was not injured in the crash. 

According to authorities, alcohol was not a factor in the crash, but reckless driving was cited as a factor.