VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — For the second time in about 12 hours, a Virginia Department of Transportation employee has been hurt in a crash.
The latest accident happened around 10:16 a.m. on westbound Interstate 264 near Rosemont Road in Virginia Beach.
According to Virginia State Police, a Safety Service Patrol truck had stopped on the highway because of an abandoned car. The truck pulled up behind the abandoned vehicle and put up its arrow board. A second VDOT Safety Service Patrol vehicle then pulled up behind it and also put up its arrow board and turned on its lights, in order to create a cushion with traffic.
That's when a black Toyota Camry rear-ended the second truck. The driver of the Camry, 26-year-old Karna Shah, had to be extricated because he could not open his door, but his injuries were not life-threatening.
The Safety Service Patrol driver was also treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Shah is charged with reckless driving.
All lanes of traffic were back open by noon.
The crash happened hours after another VDOT employee was hurt in another interstate crash late Thursday night.
State Police said a woman drove into a VDOT truck on I-664 near Bowers Hill, pushing it into the worker who had been standing on the shoulder helping other cars.
That VDOT employee should be OK, but the other driver is in the hospital with critical injuries.
VDOT also says a third incident happened involving a Safety Service Patrol vehicle early Friday morning. A SSP truck was driving north on I-664 at Aberdeen Road shortly before 3:30 a.m. when it was struck by another vehicle.
There's no word on any injuries in this accident.