Part of US 58 in Chesapeake closed for hours after fatal crash

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – All lanes of US 58 near the Hampton Roads Executive Airport reopened just before noon Friday, nearly eight hours after a fatal crash shut down the road.

The eastbound lanes of US 58 in Chesapeake were closed for most of the morning Friday, after a deadly crash police say involved two vehicles.

Right before the lanes reopened, there was a backup of almost 11 miles, according to VDOT. As of 10:30 a.m., two left lanes reopened on US 58 eastbound.

According to officials, Chesapeake police were dispatched to US 58 near the 5100 block of West Military Highway at 4:10 a.m. for reports of a crash between a tractor-trailer and a white sedan.

Officers arrived to the scene and found a man, the driver of the sedan, deceased.

An investigation revealed the driver of the tractor-trailer was traveling west and was attempting to make a U-turn, when the driver of the sedan struck the tractor-trailer.

The crash caused the fuel tank of the tractor-trailer to rupture, spilling large amounts of diesel fuel on the road. Workers with Chesapeake Public Works estimated the eastbound lanes could remain closed until around 2 p.m. to allow hazmat cleanup, but they fully reopened by noon.

The left turn lane at Bisco St on US 58 Westbound was also closed while crews completed the hazmat cleanup.

Tammy Robinson was stuck in traffic for three hours. “I have been in traffic ever since and I try to go around because I’m not familiar with the Suffolk area, so anyway I’m tired; I was scared I might fall asleep.”

Police said the driver of the tractor-trailer remained on the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

The name of the person killed in the crash has not yet been released.

Check with WAVY.com for more updates.

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