PETERSBURG — The driver of a tractor-trailer stopped on the shoulder of Interstate 85 Saturday morning was hit by a car that state police said was unable to avoid contact.
Shortly before 7:55 a.m., according to state police, a 2016 Freightliner had pulled to the side of northbound I-85 about a mile south of the I-85 split with Interstate 95. Part of the truck was still in the right travel lane when it stopped.
As the driver was walking toward the rear of his rig, state police said the driver of a 2010 Honda Accord hit both him and the truck. Because of how the truck was stopped, the car’s driver “was unable to avoid striking the tractor-trailer,” state police Sgt. Jessica Shehan said.
The truck driver, identified as Rousselin D. Haiti, 34, of Leigh Acres, Florida, was taken to Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg. The driver of the car was also taken to SMC.
Shehan classified the injuries to both drivers as non-life threatening.
Traffic along that stretch of the highway was hampered for about 90 minutes while crews cleaned up the scene. The Virginia Department of Transportation said the scene was cleared around 9:30 a.m.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.