Virginia: State Trooper hit while conducting traffic around high water

A Virginia State Trooper was struck while conducting traffic control in the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 24, 2015. The incident occurred just north of the Ladysmith Rest Area (108 mile marker) in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 at approximately 12:18 a.m.

Troopers were directing traffic in the southbound lane due to high water that had crossed both travel lanes of I-95 south. A 2016 Kenworth tractor-trailer lost control as it approached the scene where the troopers were directing traffic. The tractor-trailer struck a VSP patrol car and then struck a pick-up truck (contract worker vehicle) that was in the lanes assisting with the road closure. The impact then forced the pick-up into the state trooper, knocking the trooper over the guardrail and into the grass median. The tractor-trailer then struck the guardrail on the left side of the road.

Trooper A.L. Benner was transported to MCV hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries and was the only one injured at the scene. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Nicholas J. Coia, 67, of Florida was charged with reckless driving. The truck's trailer was empty at the time of the crash. The Virginia State Police Crash Reconstruction Team and Motor Carrier Team are assisting with the crash investigation.