Fatal I-66 Accident Update: Tractor-Trailer Driver Killed, Car Driver Charged With Reckless Driving

A tragic accident occurred Monday afternoon on Interstate 66 in Warren County, resulting in the death of a tractor-trailer driver. The incident happened at approximately 12:59 p.m. on October 21, near the 6-mile marker of I-66 at the overpass of Route 522/340.

According to a Virginia State Police (VSP) report, the crash began when a 2008 Dodge Caliber, driven by Dawn M. Mongold, 58, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, lost control on the entrance ramp from northbound Route 522 onto I-66. The vehicle veered off the left side of the ramp, crossing into the westbound lanes of I-66, where it collided with a 2000 Kenworth tractor-trailer traveling in the left lane.

The collision caused the tractor-trailer, driven by 67-year-old Roger B. Martin of Roanoke, Virginia, to lose control. The truck ran off the right side of the roadway, smashed into the bridge guardrail, and overturned off the bridge, landing on northbound Route 522 below. The tractor-trailer then caught fire.

Sadly, Martin died at the scene. It is unclear whether he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash due to the extensive damage and fire that destroyed much of the cab.

Mongold was not injured in the accident and was confirmed to have been wearing her seatbelt. She has been charged with reckless driving as the investigation into the crash continues.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers on the roadways.

Information provided by Virginia State Police.

Tragic Crash on I-66 Claims One Life, Roads Reopen After Fiery Wreck