At least 51 injured in 69-vehicle collision in Virginia, police say

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

At least 51 people were injured Sunday morning in a crash on a Virginia interstate involving dozens of vehicles, according to the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police.

Authorities said fog and ice were reported just before 8 a.m. on the Queens Creek bridge when the collisions first occurred on Interstate 64. Police said 69 vehicles were involved in the crashes.

Update 5:15 p.m. EST Dec. 22: Investigators said 51 people were treated for injuries following a chain reaction of crashes that involved 69 vehicles, WAVY reported.

Update 3:45 p.m. EST Dec. 22: Officials said all I-64 lanes have been reopened after a 63-car pileup blocked traffic traveling in either direction for hours Sunday.

Update 1:05 p.m. EST Dec. 22: State police said 35 people were transported from the scene of Sunday morning's crashes for treatment of their injuries.

No fatalities were immediately reported, authorities said.

State police described the crashes as “vehicle chain (reaction) crashes" which impacted both directions of traffic on Interstate 64.

Authorities continue to investigate.

Original report: Officials were first alerted to the crash just before 8 a.m. Sunday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 65 near the Queens Creek overpass, WAVY-TV reported. Authorities closed the interstate in both directions as they investigated and cleared the collision.

At least two people suffered injuries that appeared to be life-threatening in the crash, state police told WAVY-TV and The Virginia Gazette.

It was not immediately clear exactly how many vehicles were involved in the accident. State police told the Gazette that 35 vehicles were involved in the crash. Officials with the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office said the incident involved more than 45 vehicles.

Authorities continue to investigate.

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