Stafford, Virginia: Two Dead in I-95 Crash, Charger Driver Charged With DUI

Two people died early Friday after a Dodge Charger struck a Nissan Rogue from behind on Interstate 95 northbound in Stafford County, Virginia State Police said. The crash happened at about 1:53 a.m. on Friday, November 6, at mile marker 141, just north of exit 140.

An adult passenger in the Rogue died at the scene. A juvenile passenger under the age of five was taken to an area hospital and later died there, state police said. The adult driver of the Rogue suffered life threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital. Police have not released the names of anyone in the Rogue.

What state police say happened

The preliminary investigation found that the Charger was driving at a high rate of speed when it struck the Rogue in the rear, state police said. The Rogue then went off the left side of the interstate and overturned. Three passengers in the Charger suffered minor injuries. The driver of the Charger was not injured.

State police charged the Charger driver with DUI. Additional charges are pending, and the crash remains under investigation. Police did not release the Charger driver's name in the statement carried by local outlets on Friday morning.

Northbound lanes closed, then reopened

The Virginia Department of Transportation closed all northbound travel lanes at mile marker 141 after the crash and detoured traffic off the interstate at exit 140, at Route 630 and Courthouse Road. In its 3:02 a.m. update, the department told northbound drivers to use Hospital Center Boulevard to Route 1 northbound and rejoin I-95 at exit 143, near Aquia and Garrisonville. Vehicles trapped in the backup between exit 140 and the crash site were turned around so they could reach exit 140, FOX 5 reported.

All northbound lanes reopened and the detour was lifted by 7:09 a.m., the transportation department said, after a closure of more than five hours that ran into the start of the morning commute toward Washington. The Express Lanes also reopened to traffic, FOX 5 reported. The department pointed drivers to 511 Virginia for lane closure updates while the investigation continued at the scene.

Mile marker 141 sits on the stretch of I-95 that carries Stafford County commuters toward Fredericksburg to the south and the Washington suburbs to the north. A full northbound closure on that stretch leaves Route 1 as the main alternate, and the department warned drivers to expect delays on Route 1 and on secondary roads near the exit 140 interchange while the detour was in place.

State police said the investigation is ongoing. No further details about the people in either vehicle had been released by Friday morning.