BRUNSWICK COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) -- As of 7:42 p.m., all lanes on Interstate 85 south near mile marker 26 have been reopened after being closed for hours due to an accident that left a VDOT worker injured.
The crash involved an 18-wheeler and a second vehicle, CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil found out.
Witnesses told police the driver of the semi slammed into a safety truck in the right lane. That truck was pointing drivers to move over to the left lane since mowers were working on the shoulder of the interstate. The safety truck then hit one of the tractors mowing the grass.
All the vehicles on the interstate came to a stop when the semi caught fire. The fire was so intense that it damaged the pavement, which delayed reopening the interstate.
Cleanup and repairs took hours and left traffic backed up for five miles.
"I didn't know what was going on, but I was stuck there like an hour and 30 minutes,” said Jamie Blackwell, who was stuck in the jam for hours.
The Driver of the semi was charged with reckless driving.
