A Virginia truck driver has been charged with reckless driving following a fatal truck accident on Interstate 664 in Chesapeake on Thursday, June 15. According to local news sources, 27-year-old Crystal Burgsteiner of Newport News experienced car trouble while driving on I-664 South and pulled onto the shoulder. Witnesses say her hazard lights were blinking and she was off of the roadway when her vehicle was struck from behind by a drifting tractor-trailer. The force of the collision caused Burgsteiner’s car to leave the shoulder and come to rest in the trees next to the interstate. Burgsteiner died at the scene of the accident from her injuries, while the trucker who allegedly caused the accident suffered injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The accident, which happened at around nine in the morning near the Portsmouth Boulevard exit, closed several lanes of traffic during the Thursday-morning rush hour as emergency crews collected evidence and removed the damaged vehicles.
The trucker, who was treated for minor injuries at Norfolk General Hospital, has been charged with reckless driving by the Virginia State Police. A spokesperson said the trucker stated that he suffered a medical emergency that caused him to lose control of his vehicle in the seconds before the crash. The Virginia truck accident attorneys at Shapiro & Appleton send their heartfelt condolences to the relatives, loved ones, and friends of the victim. Shoulder accidents on interstates are far too common throughout the state and are many times preventable if not for distracted or reckless drivers.