Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service)
Bridget Reed Morawski
WMAL
Updated: 10:45am 19 February 2016
(WMAL) — An overturned tractor-trailer on the Beltway this morning sent its driver to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The crash is expected to cause major delays as multiple lanes are blocked.
Both loops of the Beltway were shutdown following the crash, however all lanes have now been reopened.
The crash occurred at approximately 4:45am this morning between Connecticut Avenue and Rockville Pike. The tractor-trailer careened through the median, ejecting the driver from the cab. He was transported to an area trauma center with life-threatening injuries, where he died of his injuries. The cause of the crash is unknown at this time, though Maryland State Police is conducting an investigation.
The fuel tanks from the tractor-trailer were separated, spilling fuel onto the highway. The Maryland Department of the Environment is on scene leading the clean up effort.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to the Chief Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue, Pete Piringer.
“Traffic typically at that time of the day is fairly light,” said Piringer, noting that it appears to have been a one vehicle incident though the debris field caused by the truck is wide.
Another accident occurred at approximately 7:45am
“There’s been a number of wrecks reported [today],” said Piringer. “Traffic patterns [today] are going to be a little bit different because of the fact that the Beltway has been closed down.”
Piringer says to suspect major delays throughout the region today, especially in the areas of Georgia Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, Rockville Pike, and Old Georgetown Road will be heavily affected.
