Local woman dies in wrong-way crash on I-81

Photo courtesy of Virginia State Police.

Virginia State Police Trooper T.V. Clark is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash involving a wrong-way driver. The crash occurred Aug. 8, 2019, at 3:25 p.m., on Interstate 81 at the 299 mile marker in Shenandoah County.

At 3:19 p.m., Virginia State Police was alerted to a 2007 Toyota Yaris traveling west in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 66 near the 3 mile marker. As Trooper Clark was responding, the Toyota made its way onto Interstate 81 heading south in the northbound lanes.

At the 299 mile marker at the Shenandoah/Frederick County line, the Toyota struck head-on a 1996 Honda Accord. The Honda Accord was traveling north in the northbound lanes of I-81.

The driver of the Toyota, 66, of Front Royal, Va., was transported to Winchester Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.

The driver of the Honda, Chris A. Nesselrodt, 22, of Broadway, Va., was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

The Honda’s 19-year-old female passenger and two 17-year-old male passengers were transported to Winchester Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. A fourth passenger, a 20-year-old male passenger, was not injured in the crash. All of the passengers and the driver were wearing seat belts.

The crash remains under investigation.