NORFOLK, Va. — Investigators with Virginia State Police have started to piece together what exactly led to a 16-vehicle crash inside Downtown Tunnel over the weekend.
The crash happened Sunday around 1 a.m. and left all eastbound lanes closed for around three hours, according to tweets from 511 Hampton Roads.
According to VSP, two vehicles crashed inside the tunnel, which resulted in one of the vehicle's bumpers detaching and falling onto the roadway.
As vehicles began to approach, one of the vehicles slammed on the brakes and came to a complete stop in the traffic lane to avoid hitting the bumper. This caused a chain reaction among several vehicles to slam on the brakes and crash into each other.
According to VSP, the cars were "traveling at a very high rate of speed (speed limit inside tunnel is 35mph) and following too closely."
VSP said the majority of the cars involved were part of a "car club" that was previously in Portsmouth.
While the crash remains under investigation, multiple charges are pending, according to state police.
Investigators are still sorting through recorded videos of the crash provided by the Elizabeth Rivers Crossing Agency.
