A tractor trailer accident happened just before 8:00 on Tuesday morning on I-64, backing up traffic for miles.
Virginia State Police Trooper W.R. Floyd was called to the scene in the westbound lanes of I-64 at the 123 mile marker in Albemarle County. A tractor trailer reportedly crashed with a pickup truck and jack knifed, blocking both of the westbound lanes.
One person was traveling in the tractor trailer and two others were in the pickup truck. One person was transferred to the University of Virginia Hospital, but no major injuries have been reported.
Officers on the scene tell NBC29 that 120 gallons of gasoline spilled on the interstate from the tractor trailer. Clean up crews are expected to arrive on scene to clean that spill.
Officials have also said that only one lane will be opened one hour after all the gas has been cleaned up, and there is still no word on when both lanes will be open.
When police arrived on scene they had to detour drivers off the interstate and at one point, traffic was backed up for 10 -11 miles all the way to Zion Crossroads.
Update: The spill has been cleaned up, but traffic on I-64 is still badly congested. Reports of Pantops, where traffic was being detoured, looking like a parking lot.
VDOT confirms right lane on I-64 west is open.
According to the Virginia State Police, a Toyota Tundra pickup truck was westbound in the left lane of I-64 when one of its tires blew. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and swerved to the right and hit a west-bound tractor trailer.
Police state, "The driver of the Toyota, William Agusto, 31, of North Carolina, and his passenger were not injured in the crash. Agusto was charged with driving without a license and with reckless driving."
The name of the diver of the tractor-trailer has not been released, but police say he is from Michigan and was transported to UVA Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Press Release from the Virginia Department of Transportation:
The right lane of Interstate 64 westbound has reopened to traffic as the cleanup from an earlier crash involving a tractor-trailer truck at milepost 122 continues. The traffic backup extends 10 miles east of the crash, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation's Transportation Operations Center .
Motorists traveling west on I-64 should avoid the Charlottesville area and, if they must travel through, should expect major congestion and delays. Motorists using Route 250 as an alternate route should also expect to encounter delays due to the heavy traffic being rerouted from I-64. There is no estimate as to when the truck will be removed and the highway completely reopened.
Real-time road conditions and weather forecasts are available on VDOT's traffic and travel Web site, www.511Virginia.org. The site also has live traffic camera images for many major highways, including I-64, I-66 and Routes 29 and 250 in Central Virginia . Motorists can call 511 from any telephone in Virginia for road and traffic conditions on all major highways in the state. Call 800-367-ROAD (367-7623) 24 hours a day to report highway-related problems or request information about Virginia 's highways.
Reported by NBC29 HD News
A tractor trailer reportedly crashed with a pickup truck and jack knifed, blocking both of the westbound lanes.
