(From Virginia State Police) At 8:51 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 12, 2019), Virginia State Police Trooper J.L. Simone responded to a three-vehicle crash at the 90 mile marker in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 in Pulaski County. A 1991 Oshkosh M1074 (military surplus vehicle) was traveling south on I-81 when its driver lost control due to the slick road conditions. The vehicle was then struck by two southbound tractor-trailers. The M1074 and one of the tractor-trailers came to rest in the median. The impact of the crash caused the other tractor-trailer to run off left side of the highway, continue through the median, through the guardrail, cross over northbound lanes of I-81 and strike a fence.
The driver of the M1074, Ronald W. Harris, 73, of Gainesville, Ga., did not survive the crash and died at the scene. Each tractor-trailer driver [no names released] was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The Virginia State Police Wytheville Division’s Crash Reconstruction Team has responded to the scene to assist with the ongoing crash investigation.
