Virginians still advised to avoid travel across the Commonwealth

Due to Sunday’s heavy snow and the overnight freezing temperatures, Virginia State Police is still advising Virginians to avoid traveling Monday in the western, southern and central regions of the Commonwealth. Conditions are remain slick and challenging, and troopers continue to respond to vehicles getting stuck on and off the highways.

Highway road conditions have also been dangerous for Virginia State Police. A third Trooper was struck early Monday morning (Dec. 10) in Henrico County in what ended up being a five-vehicle crash. At approximately 3:58 a.m., a vehicle traveling northbound on I-295 lost control at the 31 mile marker by spinning out of control, colliding with several vehicles including a trooper and his patrol vehicle as he was working a crash on the right shoulder. Trooper J. W. Catlett was seated inside his patrol car with the driver of the crash he was investigating. Trooper Catlett had to be transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. There were no other injuries reported. Two other troopers were fortunate to escape injury Sunday evening when their patrol cars were struck by out-of-control vehicles on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County and Interstate 95 in Hanover County, respectively.

As of 7:15 a.m. Monday (Dec. 10), Virginia State Police statewide are responding to 30 disabled vehicles and 17 traffic crashes.

On Sunday (Dec. 9), Virginia State Police statewide responded to more than 1,000 traffic crashes and just shy of 1,150 disabled vehicles. The majority of the crashes occurred in the regions along the Interstate 81 corridor, southern Virginia and central Virginia. Most crashes involved only damage to vehicles. There have been no reported traffic deaths associated with the storm.

For those having to travel today, please check VDOT’s 511 for the latest in road conditions anywhere in Virginia.