The crash happened about 1 p.m. at mile post 159 on Interstate 95, just north of Prince William Parkway, and forced the closure of the highway for more than an hour Monday afternoon.
At all started when a white Mercedes driven by Thanh Tam Thi Phan, 39, of Woodbridge, broke down in the right shoulder of the highway, said VSP spokeswoman Corinne Geller.
A Toyota 4-Runner, driven by Thi Hung Nguyen, 41, then pulled over to help the broken-down motorist.
While both cars were on the side of the road, an approaching silver Toyota Corolla sideswiped the two cars, said Geller.
At 1:27 p.m., VSP trooper E.D. Brown Jr., 30, was called to the scene to investigate the crash between the three cars.
Shortly after he arrived, a Toyota Tundra pickup driven by Thi Phan’s husband, Dunhill Nguyen, 39, of Woodbridge, arrived on the scene and parked in front of the Brown’s patrol car.
Less than 15 minutes later, the driver of a Dodge Neon slowed as she approached the scene of the crash, but the driver of a tractor-trailer behind her failed to slow and then slammed into the Neon.
The driver of the Neon then lost control and hit the trooper’s car, subsequently hitting Trooper Brown – who was standing at the rear of his patrol car, said Geller.
The impact of the crash caused Trooper Brown’s car to move forward, pinning the driver and passenger of Toyota Corolla involved in the initial crash, as well the driver of the Toyota Tundra, into the guardrail.
All three victims were also standing outside their vehicles, said Geller.
Meanwhile, the driver of the tractor trailer who failed to stop then swerved to the left and struck another tractor trailer, and then rear-ended a black Toyota Camry.
The driver of the striking tractor trailer and the driver of the black Toyota Camry stopped and remained on the scene, but police are still looking for the second tractor-trailer involved in the crash, said Geller.
Trooper Brown and Thi Hung Nguyen were flown to Fairfax Inova Hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life threatening.
The drivers and passengers of the Toyota Corolla and Dodge Neon were taken by ambulance to Potomac Hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life threatening, said Geller.
The tractor-trailer driver who stayed on the scene, Donnell Hendricks, 52, of North Carolina, has been charged with reckless driving for failure to maintain control due to inadequate brakes, said Geller. He was not injured.
Officials said Trooper Brown’s injuries are serious but not life threatening, forcing him to remain in the hospital overnight.
Brown graduated from the State Police Academy in Richmond in 2003 and has been assigned to Prince William County since 2004.
The crash remains under investigation.
