Update: Sunday, 11:06 a.m. Heavy fog and icy road conditions are to blame for a two-vehicle crash on Afton Mountain early Sunday morning.
At 4:37 a.m. Sunday a tractor-trailer was traveling east on Interstate 64, when the driver lost control and the tractor-trailer overturned across the roadway. A chartered bus traveling in the eastbound lane was unable to avoid the tractor-trailer and struck it. The impact of the crash split the tractor-trailer in half. The bus ran off the right side of the highway and came to rest against the guardrail.
The Silver Lining Tours bus had a driver and more than 20 passengers on board at the time of the crash. The bus company is located out of Troy.
The tractor-trailer driver, James Proffitt, 44, of Suffolk, was transported to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening, injuries.
The driver of the bus, Andrew L. Burruss, 62, of Keswick, was also transported to UVA Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
Proffitt and Burruss were among 15 individuals transported to UVA Medical Center for treatment. Four others were transported to Augusta Health Medical Center for treatment. There are no reported fatalities at this time. Injuries range from serious to minor.
The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team responded to the scene to assist with the crash investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspector also responded to the scene since the tractor-trailer was loaded with U.S. mail.
There were at least seven other minor crashes that occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-64 immediately following the initial crash. None of those crashes involved any injuries.
Update: Sunday, 9:28 a.m. Interstate 64 in Albemarle County has reopened to traffic after an early morning crash shut down the interstate at mile marker 100, just east of the summit of Afton Mountain.
The scenic overlook at mile marker 100 will be closed this morning as crews continue final cleanup from the crash.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is advising motorists who may be traveling across the mountain passes in Piedmont Virginia – Interstate 64, U.S. 250, 33, 211 and 522 – to drive with extreme caution since icy conditions and thick fog have been reported in those areas.
Road conditions and other real-time travel information can be found on the 511 Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. VDOT updates are also on Facebook and the district’s Twitter account, @VaDOTCulp.
Update: Sunday, 9:07 a.m. The Virginia State Police is reporting that 19 people were transported to area hospitals following an accident involving a commercial bus and a tractor-trailer early Sunday morning on Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain.
A tractor-trailer was traveling east on I-64, when the driver lost control and the tractor-trailer overturned across the roadway. A commercial bus traveling in the eastbound lane was unable to avoid the tractor-trailer and struck it. The impact of the crash split the tractor-trailer in half.
There were 20 passengers and a driver on board the bus.
The drivers of the tractor-trailer and bus were among the 15 individuals transported to University of Virginia (UVA) Medical Center in Charlottesville for treatment.
Four others have been transported to Augusta Health Medical Center for treatment. There are no reported fatalities at this time. Injuries range from serious to minor.
There were at least seven other minor crashes that occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-64 immediately following the initial crash.
Original story: Sunday, 7:41 a.m. A multi-vehicle accident at Mile 100 on Interstate 64 at the summit of Afton Mountain sent several people to local hospitals and has closed the interstate in both directions.
The accident was reported at 4:37 a.m., according to Virginia State Police, and involved a commercial bus and a tractor-trailer.
At least four individuals have been transported to Augusta Medical and several other individuals have been transported to UVA Medical Center. There are no confirmed fatalities. The crash remains under investigation.
Passenger vehicles may use U.S. 250 as an alternate route. Due to a restricted height structure between Crozet and Afton, large commercial vehicles should not use U.S. 250. At this time there is no estimate as to when the highway will reopen to traffic.
Road conditions and other real-time travel information can be found on the 511 Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. VDOT updates are also on Facebook and the district’s Twitter account, @VaDOTCulp.
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Chris Graham
