Eleven cows were killed in a crash Monday morning on Interstate 81 in Augusta County. The three-vehicle crash occurred at mile marker 232 northbound at 11:40 a.m.
According to Virginia State Police, a 2023 Lincoln Nautilus was traveling northbound on I-81 and attempted to pass a 2005 Kenworth W900 on the right side of the tractor trailer. The Lincoln struck the tractor trailer, which was hauling cattle, causing the tractor trailer to veer to the right and strike a third vehicle, a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder.
The tractor trailer and the Nissan both went off the road to the right, and the tractor trailer overturned.
The Lincoln went off the interstate on the left side of the northbound lanes.
The driver of the Lincoln, Tonya S. Cleveland, 56, of Verona, was not injured. Cleveland was cited for making an unsafe lane change.
The driver of the tractor trailer, Dewey B. Emswiler, 69, of Shenandoah, suffered minor injuries.
The driver of the Nissan was not injured.
All drivers were wearing their seatbelts.
The crash remains under investigation.
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