CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. — Virginia State Police reported troopers have responded to more than 1,000 crashes and 900 disabled vehicles as of 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Downed trees and black ice paralyzed the roads for Virginia drivers on Tuesday, so troopers are continuing to ask citizens to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
An unknown number of drivers have been stuck on Interstate 95 in Fredericksburg for over 10 hours since the storm on Monday.
State Police said there were no reported crashes on that stretch of I-95 related to the shutdown, and they do not know just how many disabled vehicles there are in that area are at this time.
From 12:01 a.m. Tuesday through 6:30 a.m., State Police have responded to 14 traffic crashes and assisted 38 disabled motorists. In addition to those numbers, they were on scene of 16 traffic crashes statewide and responding to and aiding 46 disabled vehicles.
There have been few injuries and no reported traffic deaths related to the storm.
From 12:01 a.m. through 8:30 p.m. Monday, Virginia State Police have responded to:
- Richmond Division: 178 Disabled Vehicles & 280 Traffic Crashes
- Culpeper Division: 71 Disabled Vehicles & 32 Traffic Crashes
- Appomattox Division: 130 Disabled Vehicles & 118 Traffic Crashes
- Wytheville Division: 80 Disabled Vehicles & 55 Traffic Crashes
- Chesapeake Division: 48 Disabled Vehicles & 145 Traffic Crashes
- Salem Division: 133 Disabled Vehicles & 124 Traffic Crashes
- Fairfax Division: 206 Disabled Vehicles & 113 Traffic Crashes
"State police is still on the scene of a jackknifed tractor-trailer blocking the westbound lanes on Interstate 64 at the 168 mile marker in Goochland County," Geller wrote. "There were no injuries and the tractor-trailer is hauling 18,000 lbs of plastic furniture."
CBS 6 meteorologist Tom Patton said the winter weather transitioned from rain to snow Monday morning with some of the heaviest snow expected in the late morning and early afternoon.
"It's kind of hinting that it should be done by maybe between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.," he said. "Then overnight tonight it's going to clear and become very very cold. We're going to drop back to about 17 degrees here in town. And what happens when all this slush freezes, not only does it become slippery and crunchy but quite dangerous outside of your door at home in your driveway, on the street, and sidewalks."
"The steady drop in temperatures this evening have resulted in previously-cleared and/or wet highways to refreeze. Due these latest treacherous road conditions, motorists are still being discouraged from driving through Virginia overnight," Geller wrote.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
