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Tractor trailer driver charged with reckless driving after I-81 crash, 42 cattle killed

Crystal Graham
I-81 accident cattle
Images courtesy Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office

The driver of a tractor trailer carrying cattle that crashed on Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County on Sunday morning has been charged with reckless driving.

Shawn E. Alford, 59, of Grottoes, crashed on I-81 at the 293 mile marker in Shenandoah County. The tractor trailer was traveling north when it ran off the left side of the road, collided with a guardrail and overturned.

One hundred and five cattle were being transported in the trailer at the time of the crash that occurred at 4:17 a.m., according to Virginia State Police.

A veterinarian responded to the scene to assess the livestock; 42 did not survive the crash, including 10 that had to be euthanized. Three cattle died in separate crashes along I-81.

The interstate was shut down and detours were in place for several hours as a result of the crash and loose cattle. The southbound portion reopened at 12:56 p.m. The northbound portion reopened at 3:18 p.m.

Citizens, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Transportation assisted with containing the cattle that were loose after the crash.

Related story

Shenandoah County: Interstate 81 lanes open again after tractor trailer crash

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.