I-81 Wreck Claims 4 Lives

Four Die in I-81 Pileup

LEXINGTON - Four people were killed and at least 21 others were injured in a 15-vehicle pileup on foggy and icy Interstate 81 Sunday morning in Rockbridge County that included eight tractor-trailers, six cars and a state police cruiser. Tractor-trailers and cars were ripped apart, their parts scattered, forcing both northbound lanes of Interstate 81 to shut down for about 12 hours and causing traffic to back up nearly 20 miles.

The chain reaction occurred shortly after 8 a.m. while a state trooper worked an accident that had stopped traffic on the highway. Cars and trucks then began to pile up, leaving four dead—two people in separate cars from Tennessee and two from the same family from Alabama.

Their names were not released pending notification of their families, said Virginia State Police Sgt. R.L. Ross.

Trooper Charles Seelke was not hurt when his patrol cruiser was destroyed, but 21 other people were taken to area hospitals, Ross said.

Laura Bullock, a Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said fog was settling in and most of I-81 in that area was covered with either snow, ice or slush at the time of the accident.

Tom Raisbeck, first assistant chief of the Natural Bridge volunteer fire department, arrived at the scene about 8:20 a.m.

"I started out the day treating patients and finished the day carrying body bags," he said.

Raisbeck drove onto the fog-shrouded Buffalo Creek Bridge and saw the wreckage -- tractor-trailer and car pieces everywhere and people severely bleeding.

"There was everything from minor injuries to dead on arrivals he said.

Raisbeck said that one van whose passengers had left the vehicle minutes before—was crushed to about 18 inches wide between two tractor-trailers.

Douglas Toy and Billy Freeman, both 49-year old long haul truckers from Los Angeles, were taking a load of lemons to Boston. Their truck, at the front of the stopped traffic, was knocked 20 feet and eventually onto its side in a roadside ditch. Both men escaped with minor injuries.

"I didn't know where it was coming from—that was my biggest fear. I'm just praying to God that whatever it is, that it goes by me without harm," Toy said. "For a few moments, it was scary not knowing if you are going to live or die."

Toy said that, in 35 years of driving a truck, he'd never experienced anything to compare with what he felt and saw Sunday.

"It was unbelievable. Everybody was scared. After I seen the bodies being lined up on the side of the road, I had to sit down. I couldn't deal with it anymore

It took rescue crews hours to reach the injured and search to make sure no one was overlooked.

Fifteen people were treated for minor injuries and released at Stonewall Jackson Hospital; the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville received five patients who were brought by ambulance from Stonewall Jackson Hospital; Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital treated two people, according to hospital officials.

Both lanes of I-81 were still blocked 12 hours after the accident and Ross estimated the backup had reached 14 to 20 miles. When one lane was opened shortly after 8 pm. traffic was backed up nine miles.

Raisbeck finished his day at 4:30 p.m. and reported back to the Natural Bridge volunteer fire department where other crew members had set up a shelter for those with minor injuries or those who were treated and released from Stonewall Jackson Hospital.

Annette Meador, a volunteer auxiliary member of the rescue squad, was at the shelter about 6:30 pm. She, along with about 12 other volunteers, spent most of the day making vegetable soup and ham, cheese and turkey sandwiches for people seeking refuge from the wreck. Many of them were waiting for family or friends.

"They have no way home," Meadows said. "Their vehicles are destroyed."

Nathan Shaw, a clerk at the Timber Ridge E-Z Mart on Virginia 11 in Lexington, said motorists caught in the backup had been streaming into the store. The E-Z Mart is on Virginia 11, which was being used to detour traffic off the interstate.

"Everybody is really devastated. I tell them how many people I've heard have been killed and their mouths drop open," Shaw said.

'We're pretty much thriving off of the wreck, as sad as that seems," Shaw said. 'People are desperately wanting to get out of their cars."

Jon Cawley can be reached at 981-3115 or jonc@roanoke.com
Michelle Mizal can be reached at 981-3132 or michellm@roanoke.com

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