WOODBRIDGE – (Press Release) A Woodbridge man has been cited for reckless driving and defective brakes following a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County.
At 1:52 p.m. Thursday (March 28), Virginia State Police Trooper J.S. Corvin responded to a crash involving an overturned tanker truck. The crash occurred in the northbound lanes of I-495 at the 42 mile marker just south of the American Legion Bridge.
The tanker truck was traveling north and as traffic ahead began to slow, the driver applied his brakes to slow the vehicle. The driver lost control and the vehicle ran off the right side the interstate and struck the guardrail. The tanker-truck then overturned onto its side across the shoulder and right three lanes of northbound I-495 just south of the American Legion Bridge.
During the course of the tanker truck losing control and overturning, it struck a northbound Honda Civic. A Toyota Corolla tried to avoid the tanker-truck, but was clipped by it. A Toyota Camry was unable to stop in time and struck the tanker as it overturned.
The male driver of the Toyota Camry was the only individual injured in the crashes. He was transported to Fairfax Inova Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The driver of the tanker truck, Weldon J. Harrison, 45, of Woodbridge, Va., was wearing a seat belt and was not injured in the crash. Virginia State Police have cited Harrison on one count of reckless driving (failure to maintain control of his vehicle) and four counts of defective brakes. The tanker was loaded with approximately 8,500 gallons of unleaded fuel. The fuel had to be unloaded and pumped into another tanker truck before the damaged tanker could be brought upright and removed from the scene.
The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team responded to the scene to inspect the tanker-truck and assist with the crash investigation.
The Virginia State Police are most appreciative of the assistance at the scene and with traffic control by Fairfax County Fire and EMS, Fairfax County Police, VDOT, MWAA Police, U.S. Park Police and Maryland State Police.
