‘Never Seen Anything Like It': Drivers Stranded for 15+ Hours on Virginia Highway

Drivers person been stuck connected Interstate 95 successful the Stafford County, Virginia, country for much than 15 hours aft aggregate trucks crashed amid a large snowstorm that near snowfall and crystal packed onto the road.

Many drivers are retired of gas. Some don't person nutrient oregon water. Some accidental they person kids, pets and household members with aesculapian needs successful the car.

“We are getting to radical arsenic soon arsenic we can. We recognize the severity of the situation,” Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Kelly Hannon said.

Drivers were stuck connected Interstate 95 successful Stafford County, Virginia, for much than 15 hours aft aggregate trucks crashed amid a large snowstorm. News4 has squad coverage.

VDOT says a program is underway to usher trapped vehicles to interchanges and alternate routes. Prince William County firefighters were seen handing retired blankets and h2o bottles Tuesday morning.

Driver Anne Gould said postulation stopped connected Monday day portion she was connected her yearly trek to Florida. Gould said she’d lone moved a fewer car lengths by Tuesday astir 6:20 a.m.

“There’s cars and trucks arsenic acold arsenic I tin spot down me, and successful beforehand of me, and it’s looked similar this for 12 hours,” she said Tuesday morning.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, postulation was astatine a standstill. The Virginia Department of Transportation confirmed some directions of I-95 are unopen down betwixt Ruther Glen, Virginia, successful Caroline County and exit 152 successful Dumfries, Prince William County. That's a 48-mile closure done the Fredericksburg area, which recorded 14.1 inches of snowfall Monday.

"We are moving to get postulation moving again arsenic champion we tin utilizing each disposable interchange betwixt Prince William & Caroline counties," VDOT Fredericksburg said. "There are interchanges astatine the pursuing mm: Exit 104, 110 Caroline, 118, 126 Spotsy, 130 FXBG 133, 136, 140, 143, 148 Stafford, 150 & 152 PW."

Virginia State Police said the lengthy closure was implemented truthful crews could safely scope stranded motorists. Travel is discouraged until aboriginal Tuesday.

"This is unprecedented, and we proceed to steadily determination stopped trucks to marque advancement toward restoring lanes," VDOT Fredericksburg District Engineer Marcie Parker said successful a statement.

"In summation to clearing the trucks, we are treating for snowfall and respective inches of crystal that has accumulated astir them to guarantee that erstwhile the lanes reopen, motorists tin safely proceed to their destination," Parker said.

All southbound lanes of I-95 were unopen down astatine mile marker 136 adjacent Centreport Parkway aft a clang involving six tractor-trailers astatine noon Monday. No 1 was hurt, but that collision contributed to large backups.

Towing crews, plows and Virginia State Police were helping with the effort, Hannon said. Crews were besides trying to determination trucks blocking roads.

Hannon said to telephone 911 if you cognize idiosyncratic retired determination who needs urgent aesculapian attention.

For everyone else, she said she knows this is simply a dire situation, and they're moving to get radical home.

Nisa Semesta, who was stuck connected the southbound broadside for much than 12 hours with 2 cats successful her car, said drivers couldn’t adjacent get disconnected the interstate for supplies. Side roads were besides impassable.

“We’re truly disquieted astir our entree to food, h2o and sanitation astatine the moment,” said. “I cognize immoderate radical are starting to get disquieted astir gas.”

Truck operator Emily Clementson suggested radical inquire motortruck drivers if they person other supplies, specified arsenic snacks oregon h2o bottles. She said galore motortruck drivers hole successful lawsuit they get stranded.

Clementson said the conditions changed arsenic soon arsenic she and a co-driver came into Virginia.

“I’ve ne'er seen thing similar it,” Clementson said.

News4 has reached retired to the Virginia governor's bureau for comment.

Hundreds of drivers got stuck oregon successful crashes passim the portion Monday arsenic snowfall accumulated until astir 3 p.m.

Stay with News4 for much connected this processing story.

President Joe Biden arrived successful Washington, D.C., successful the mediate of a snowstorm that’s expected to bring 10 inches of snowfall to the area.