A passenger car that failed to yield to a tractor trailer at the 310 on-ramp on Interstate 81 in Frederick County Thursday night ended up triggering a horrific crash that crossed the interstate in both travel directions, and ignited a fire in a parking lot east of I-81.
A lot to unpack here.
This all went down at 8:17 p.m., per a report from Virginia State Police.
The passenger car was struck by the southbound tractor-trailer, we’re told.
The truck driver lost control, and his vehicle went off the interstate through the median, striking a northbound truck carrying oxygen tanks.
That collision then ignited a fire that caused the oxygen tanks to explode.
The exploding tanks damaged one Frederick County Sheriff’s Department vehicle as well as vehicles in a lot east of the interstate.
The driver of the southbound tractor trailer, Russell R. Haskins, 64, of Altavista, died at the scene.
The driver of the truck carrying the oxygen tanks, Jeffrey J. Hudnell, 52, of Philadelphia, suffered serious injuries and later succumbed to those injuries at an area hospital.
We don’t have identities on either at this writing.
The driver of the passenger car, Mario A. Saldivar-Romaro, of Rockingham, was not injured.
Charges are pending.
The deputy whose car was damaged was not injured.
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Chris Graham
