MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – A crash involving three passenger trucks on I-81 Wednesday afternoon in Martinsburg claimed two lives and injured two others.
First Sergeant J. A. Meeks of the West Virginia State Police tells The Panhandle News Networks troopers, along with other law enforcement and Berkeley County emergency services responded to the crash just after 4:30 Wednesday afternoon on the southbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 11.5.
Their investigation revealed a Dodge truck driven by Steven Souders, age 64, of Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania was traveling North on Interstate 81 when that vehicle crossed the median and entered the southbound lanes, striking a Dodge truck driven by David Cain, age 59, of Kernersville, North Carolina.
The vehicle operated by Mr. Souders continued and struck a Ford truck driven by Ronnie Dick, age 33, of Inwood, West Virginia head-on causing Mr. Dick’s vehicle to flip over.
State Police say both Souders and Dick were pronounced dead at the scene. Cain sustained minimal injuries. His passenger, Catherine Cain, age 63, of Kernersville, North Carolina was flown to Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia for treatment of her injuries. She was last reportedly in was in stable condition.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 81 were shut down for approximately six hours while the crash investigation took place.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, according to First Sergeant Meeks.
