STAFFORD, Va. – Virginia State Police are investigating a serious three-vehicle crash that shut down local northbound lanes of Interstate 95 near the Rappahannock River Bridge on Saturday night.
The crash happened at 8:25 p.m. on May 17 at mile marker 132, just north of Fredericksburg. According to police, a 2007 Mazda Speed 3 was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver attempted to squeeze between two vehicles—a Hyundai Palisade in the left lane and an unknown vehicle in the middle lane. The Mazda collided with the Hyundai, causing it to flip onto the guardrail.
The driver of the Mazda, 23-year-old Joseph T. Celich of Stafford, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car. As he lay in the roadway, a 2017 Nissan Sentra traveling northbound struck him and then collided with the wrecked Mazda. Celich was transported to Mary Washington Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
A 24-year-old female passenger in the Mazda, also not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. She was also taken to Mary Washington Hospital.
The Hyundai’s driver, a 42-year-old man from Alexandria, and his four passengers—including three children—suffered minor injuries and were all transported to the hospital. Police said everyone in the Hyundai was properly restrained.
The 17-year-old male driver of the Nissan was not injured and had been wearing a seatbelt.
Virginia State Police say charges are pending as the investigation continues.
