A Lexington woman was killed in a fiery accident on Interstate 81 near the 210 mile marker in Augusta County at 9:01 a.m. Tuesday.
Initially, two vehicles collided in the northbound lanes of I-81 near the 210 mile marker. A northbound tractor-trailer braked in order to avoid the two crashed vehicles ahead of it. A 2006 Saturn traveling behind the tractor-trailer was unable to stop in time and rear-ended the tractor-trailer. The impact of the crash caused the Saturn to catch fire. The Saturn was completely destroyed by the blaze.
The driver of the Saturn, Lara D. Gass, 27, of Lexington, Va., died at the scene. Her remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner for examination and autopsy.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, an adult male from Tennessee, was not injured in the crash.
The first two-vehicle crash did involve one person being transported to Augusta Health for treatment of minor injuries.
The fatal crash remains under investigation at this time.
All northbound lanes of I-81 were clear and open to traffic by 11:40 a.m.
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