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Deadly Interstate 81 crash early Tuesday involved a VDOT contractor

The crash remains under investigation.

ROANOKE CO., Va. – 6:55 a.m. update:

The Virginia State Police are investigating a fatal Hit and Run on Interstate 81, involving a VDOT contractor in the work zone.

State police say the crash happened in Roanoke County at 2:38 a.m. Tuesday, as the worker exited a piece of construction equipment which was being loaded on a lowboy trailer and was struck by a tractor trailer. This was just before the Interstate 581 exit.

Police say the tractor trailer continued northbound on Interstate 81.

State police say the worker was identified as Matthew Frazier, 54, of Clifton Forge, who was wearing a traffic vest and died at the scene.

State Police are working to identify the tractor trailer from videos from multiple construction vehicles at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.

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3:45 a.m. update:

You can expect delays Tuesday morning on I-81 in Roanoke County after a tractor trailer crash.

It happened at mile marker 142.6 before you get to the Interstate 581 exit.

All north lanes are closed.

Just before 4 a.m., traffic backups were approximately two miles. All northbound traffic is being detoured onto VA-419 (Electric Road), then onto Alt US-11 North/US-460 East (E Main Street), then onto VA-117 (Peters Creek Road), then onto I-581.

WSLS 10 has a crew headed to the scene to talk with Virginia State Police.

This is a breaking news story. We will have developments all morning on Virginia Today from 5-7 a.m. and update WSLS.com.


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About the Author
Jenna Zibton headshot

You can see Jenna weekday mornings at the anchor desk on WSLS 10 Today from 5-7 a.m. She also leads our monthly Solutionaries Series, where we highlight the creative thinkers and doers working to make the world a better place.