BERKELEY COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) A driver has been left in critical condition following a Monday morning accident involving multiple vehicles including three freightliners.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office reports that, at 3:26am on the morning of Monday, July 22, 2024, a collision involving multiple vehicles was reported to have occurred at the 14.6 mile marker off I-81 Northbound.
Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene, discovering three tractors with tracked trailers, a Dodge RAM, and a Ford Escape SUV. The driver of the Ford Escape, an unidentified female from Berkeley County, was discovered in critical condition and required extrication from the vehicle by fire and EMS personnel.
The collision resulted in a several-hour shutdown of Interstate 81 as vehicles and debris were removed from multiple lanes of roadway.
Authorities state that the accident occurred due to the failure of one tractor trailer driver – navigating the far right lane – to notice that traffic had come to a stop due to road work. The vehicle rear-ended the Ford Escape, causing it to be pushed into the middle lane of the highway where it collided with a separate tractor trailer.
The tractor trailer continued forward, colliding with a goose-neck trailer attached to the Dodge RAM, which was pushed forward into another tractor trailer.
The tractor trailer in the far right lane which initially failed to notice upcoming roadwork bringing traffic to a stop and rear-ended the Ford Escape was found to be at fault for the incident according to authorities.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Berkeley Medical Center where she underwent emergency surgery. The patient was stabilized and transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital by air and her condition remains critical at the time of writing.
The driver of the Dodge RAM was also seen at Berkeley Medical Center as a precaution but has since been released.
Law enforcement continues to investigate the incident involving the two pedestrian vehicles and three freightliners, and it has been indicated that charges are expected to be filed upon completion of the investigation.
