Heavy fog and icy road conditions on Afton Mountain sent more than two dozen people to area hospitals when a tractor-trailer loaded with mail slid out of control on Interstate 64 early Sunday and was struck by a Fluvanna County-based tour bus.
Virginia State Police said the crash occurred about 4:37 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-64. Virginia Department of Transportation officials said the crash was on the downhill grade just past the summit of Afton Mountain.
The smash-up triggered at least seven minor crashes in the eastbound lanes, but no one was injured in those wrecks, according to state police.
The highway was closed for five hours as crews took those injured in the truck-bus crash to hospitals and then cleaned up the wreckage.
The tractor-trailer was traveling east on Interstate 64 when the driver lost control and the tractor-trailer overturned across the road, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said in a news release.
“A chartered bus traveling in the eastbound lane was unable to avoid the tractor-trailer and struck it,” Geller said. “The impact of the crash split the tractor-trailer in half. The bus ran off the right side of the highway and came to rest against the guardrail.”
The tractor-trailer driver, James Proffitt, 44, of Suffolk, was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Silver Lining Charters and Tours bus had more than 20 passengers on board at the time of the crash, Geller said.
Police said at least 19 people were injured. UVA officials estimated that they treated at least 20 people from the crash.
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital officials reported treating at least five people, and Augusta Health medical center reported treating at least four.
The injuries varied from serious, but not life-threatening, to cuts and bruises, officials said.
The bus was traveling to Charlottesville from Charles Town, W.Va., where the passengers had been attending the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, said Alexander Burruss, owner of the charter bus company in Fluvanna.
Burruss’ brother, Andrew L. Burruss, 62, of Keswick, was driving the bus. He was taken to UVA Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
“He’s coming along,” Alexander Burruss said. “A lot of bruises, a lot of injuries.”
The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team and Trooper L.G. Pingley are investigating the crash. A U.S. postal inspector also responded to the scene because the tractor-trailer was loaded with mail.
Fog remained on Afton Mountain into the afternoon and was expected to return overnight, according to the National Weather Service.
VDOT officials said mountain passes in the area, including the interstate and U.S. 250, U.S. 33, U.S. 211 and U.S. 522, could be fogged in. The fog, mixed with freezing temperatures, can cause ice to form on road surfaces, the weather service and VDOT warned.
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The truck-bus collision triggered at least seven minor crashes, but no one was injured in those wrecks, according to state police. There was heavy fog and ice in the area.
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Interstate 64 was closed for five hours as crews handled the crash.
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(8) comments
Our Racist, KKK, Blackface Democrat Governor Ralph "Coonman" Northam was too busy running around in blackface and a white sheet to close this section of the interstate. Certainly, the truck driver and the bus driver could have stopped for the night and waited for the weather to clear before traversing Afton Mountain in bad weather.
Da postal service using 3rd class trucking companies ——- neither snow ... wind .... or rain will stop the postal service ..... but ice—- fog and irresponsibility did. You check is not in the mail
We need to ban Tractor Trailers and Buses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Janis Peace commenting: My Father who hauled produce from up and down the East Coast all of his life always talked of the fog in that area. If he met someone from the area or the other side of the area, he would always bring it up. Evidently it is a well known situation. I think it's sad something can't be done along the stretch to eliminate the problem somehow. I know it's nature but sometimes even nature can be dealt with. Just thinking.
I've driven on a stretch of it in the fog at night and will never do it again. It's terrifying. The lights are very helpful but it's still terrifying.
Here it is everybody https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&query_string=649914
Eagle express lines —- the lawsuits will put them out of business don’t worry they will go bankrupt and reopen under a new business name. I will post their safety record here in a few
I have driven a tractor-trailer over Afton Mountain a few times. It can be a scary stretch of highway for sure! The little "embedded" lights in the pavement do help a bit when conditions are less than ideal......but visibility declines rapidly when it is foggy.
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