The Shadow
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. (VR) – A crash occurred at 5:08 p.m. on Thursday, September 25 on the northbound side of Interstate 81 at the 181-mile-marker.
There were 11 total vehicles, 6 tractor trailers, 3 passenger vehicles, and a medical transport van involved in this crash. No patient on board.
There were multiple non-life-threatening injuries and one fatality.
The fatality was the last vehicle in the crash and ran into the several tractor trailers.
The individual which was killed was identified as Abdiqadir Ahmed Nur, 36, of Shakopee, MN. Mr. Nur was wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene.
It appears the crash occurred in heavy rain as traffic was slowing due to two-vehicle crash just ahead. Traffic was slowing as vehicles started rearending one another, which blocked the roadway, and this began the chain reaction of vehicles piling up.
A helicopter responded to transport the driver of the medical transport which suffered serious injuries but was unable to return to Roanoke Memorial Hospital due to weather conditions, and the driver had to be transported to Rockbridge Community Hospital by ground transportation.
VDOT set up detours to move traffic off the Interstate onto Route 11 to ease the backup. There were a number of HAZMAT issues with fuel spills and debris to clean up. The roadway was fully opened 1:00 a.m.
More details to follow as they become available. With a crash this size and so many commercial motor vehicles and injuries involved it will take some time.
Virginia State Police photos
