Crash In Abingdon Kills One; New Video Available
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Video of the crash at exit 14
Video of the crash at exit 14 inm abingdon tonight right after it happen.
CLAIRE GALOFARO | BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
Emergency crews monitor the scene of a two-vehicle crash that killed an occupant of a 2000 Infiniti, seen on the shoulder at right
UPDATE// 06/05/09 8:07 a.m.: The driver of the Infiniti Sedan who died last night has been identified as 53-year-old Baber Kahm, of Sterling, Va.
UPDATE: State police have confirmed that the single occupant of a 2000 Infiniti Sedan hit by a tractor-tractor rig on I-81 about 9:30 p.m. Thursday died in the crash.
ABINGDON, Va.—Virginia State Police are investigating a crash involving a tractor-trailer rig and one other vehicle tonight on northbound Interstate 81 near Abingdon’s Exit 14.
The conditions of the vehicle occupants are so far unavailable.
Investigators were unable to release details immediately, including the cause of the crash. But the incident caused at least an hour-long traffic backup for about a mile south of Abingdon and until at least 10:30 p.m.
The tractor-trailer rig involved in the crash landed on its side bout 30 feet down the hillside from the highway shoulder and a few hundred yards north of the exit ramp. The other vehicle was severly damaged, both from the rear and the top, was just north of the exit.
In addition to the state police, firefighters and emergency responders from Chilhowie, Abingdon and Washington County are working the crash site.
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Reader Reactions
I was at home the nite this happen and I live right beside this wreck. When this wreck occured the rain was coming down in buckets and you couldnt see even the road. I understand why the vehicle was sitting on the side on the road. I was in one of those downpours the day before. I was on the interstate at exit 19 and had passed the get off ramp, as I looked ahead I saw what was ahead of me, then it came down so hard I couldnt find the road, I had to ride on the side where the road is cut out so I knew where the road was. I had stopped for a minute but then I got scared and thought about someone else might runover me because I knew they couldnt see either, I finally made it to exit 22 and got off the ramp, I really consider myself lucky. That was the same conditions as that nite with the tractor trailer and sedan. I am sorry that this happened, but I wont get on the road again if it raining that hard!
Come on folks; stop blaming everyone else for these crashes. I grant you, these intersections are bad and should have never been built but this is the road we have. Either take some responsibility with your driving or use another road. I surly believe any life that’s lost is the worst thing imaginable. I know, I’ve suffered the loss of a loved one due to a car crash. But, we as motoring public have to take some responsibility for our own actions and pay attention to where were driving. If we don’t watch and we cause a crash it’s not the responsibility of the government, road engineers or anyone else we point the finger at. We need to look at our selves. DRIVE RESPONSIBILITY!! We need to look, listen, look again and then jump on the interstate. Were all tied up in what were doing and not looking out for our safety because we all think someone else is supposed to take care of us. If we would hang up our mobile phones, text messages, dogs in out laps, drinking alcohol, and a bunch of other distracting habits and watch what we are doing we would maybe not be in so many collisions.
What are we doing? Waiting on Wal-Mart to build us a new exit, after all they did such a great job with exit 7. I have been in close calls at exit 14 over the years to many times! I worry about the students at Virginia Highlands everyday, because of this exit, and wonder why the crap it hasn’t been fixed along time ago. It should be called “Exit Death”! Any fool can see that it was out dated in the mid 60’s. I guess when the new Wal-Mart goes in, we’ll make sure that the shoppers have a good safe on/off exit, heaven forbid loosing revenue to a cash paying customer! Fix the darned exit people!!!!
I’m sad to hear someone died in that wreck. Friday morning the Infiniti was gone, but the tractor trailer was still in the ditch. Traffic was still a mess and the northbound ramp was blocked. I think an extra accident happened on the southbound ramp. Friday seemed to be a bad day all the way around. I saw more accidents and practically skidded through an intersection myself. Did it rain oil?
What is it with this stretch of interstate? Is it too long and straight and people nod off? Get distracted? Plenty of other places have those ridiculous They’re-getting-on-while-I’m-getting-off exchanges. (who was the engineer that thought that was a good idea?) In fact, last place I lived that was the type of exit you had to use to get to my house. Much higher traffic level than Exit 14, lived there for years, nowhere near the number of wrecks that Exit 14 has. I am genuinely curious why there are so many accidents on such a relatively straight stretch of interstate. (not just at Exit 14 but this whole stretch) Has anyone ever offered a reasonable explanation?
Exit 14 has been a death-trap for drivers since it was first opened.
This “experiment” should be OVER!
I couldn’t tell anything from the video but this was a horrible crash and it’s sad to know that someone died.
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