One dead after big rig crash on I-81 in Wythe County

RURAL RETREAT, Va. (WDBJ) - UPDATE: One victim is dead after a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-81 in Wythe County.

A box truck ran off the left side of the road traveling south and over the median before hitting a car and two tractor-trailers in the northbound lanes. One of the trucks proceeded to run off the left side of the road and into the median.

The case is still being looked into. Both the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division Crash Reconstruction and Motor Carrier Safety teams were at the scene.

EARLIER: A crash on I-81 northbound in the Rural Retreat area is causing backups.

I-81 is closed in both directions because of the crash involving a big rig two miles south of the junction with Exit 60-Rural Retreat.

The crash was reported about 3 p.m. Friday.

VDOT says northbound traffic is being diverted at Exit 54. Southbound traffic is being diverted at Exit 60. Some traffic is getting by the crash on the southbound right shoulder also.

Click here for updates from VDOT.

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