Good Samaritans help woman ejected in serious I-95 crash in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. — Several Good Samaritans stopped to help a woman who was ejected from her vehicle during a serious crash on Interstate 95 in Richmond Wednesday night.

Virginia State Police said troopers were dispatched at 8:38 p.m. to a single-vehicle crash on I-95 northbound near the Seventh Street overpass.

According to preliminary information, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it ran off the right side of the interstate and went airborne.

The vehicle struck a Virginia Department of Transportation sign, cleared a guardrail while still airborne and struck the Seventh Street overpass before landing in the middle of the entrance ramp from Seventh Street to I-95 northbound.

A woman was thrown from the vehicle and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Jeffrey Akin was among the people who stopped to help.

Akin said he and the people he was traveling with were getting onto the interstate when the vehicle in front of them suddenly slammed on its brakes.

They then noticed debris scattered across the road and realized there had been a crash.

Akin said he immediately got out of his vehicle and ran toward the wreckage.

"I think it's just the right thing to do. I don't know that you would do anything else," Akin said.

He said the vehicle was overturned, and those who stopped initially thought the driver might still be inside.

Because of the way the car was positioned, Akin and others initially tried opening what they believed was the driver's side door. After getting it open enough to look inside, they realized no one was there.

They then checked the other side of the vehicle before realizing the driver had been ejected.

Akin said he was the first person to find the woman.

He and others stayed with her until emergency crews arrived. A nurse and another person with medical equipment also stopped to help before ambulances reached the scene.

"There wasn't much we could do but sit with her until the police and ambulances came," Akin said.

Akin described the woman's condition as serious when he found her.

"Not good," he said. "Just hopefully she survives."

He estimated six or seven people stopped to help before police arrived.

Virginia State Police said the crash remains under investigation.

This is a developing story, so check back with WTVR.com for updates. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have info, photos or videos to share.