x
Breaking News
More () »

Police searching for driver who abandoned hurt passengers in I-66 crash

After crashing into a stopped vehicle on the highway, the driver of a Kia Forte ran away on foot and into the woods. One of his passengers was seriously hurt.

MANASSAS, Va. — Police in Virginia are looking for a driver who abandoned their injured passengers after a crash on Interstate 66 Monday morning. 

The crash caused major delays in the eastbound lanes for several hours.

VSP investigators report the crash happened around 3 a.m. around mile marker 48 in Prince William County. 

A Nissan Altima experienced a mechanical failure while traveling east on I-66 and the vehicle came to a stop in the left center lane, according to investigators. Its driver and passenger activated the vehicle's emergency hazard lights and placed a traffic cone, taken from a nearby work zone, behind it. 

Minutes later a Kia Forte ran into the rear of the disabled Nissan. The Kia's driver then bailed out of the car and ran way on foot, crossing the westbound lanes of I-66 and running into the woods. Prince William County Police and Fairfax County Police assisted VSP with search efforts to find the driver, but he has yet to be found.

A woman passenger in the front of the Kia suffered minor injuries in the crash. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A back-seat passenger in the Kia was not wearing a seat belt and suffered injuries thought to be life-threatening, according to police. That passenger was flown by helicopter to Inova Fairfax for treatment.

As of 6:30 a.m., all eastbound lanes of I-66 had reopened, but a major backup was seen on our Sky9 helicopter, stretching back about five miles from where the crash happened.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the missing driver should contact VSP by calling 703-803-0026 or emailing questions@vsp.virginia.gov

View our interactive traffic map

Credit: WUSA9
Sky9 shows the back up on Interstate 66 from an earlier crash stretching for miles Monday morning, June 6, 2022.

RELATED: Death of another teen bicyclist in Bethesda fuels calls for safety changes

RELATED: Sheriff: Man dies after crashing into pond in Frederick County

RELATED: 'God will get us through' | Friends of couple who died in car crash raise thousands for teenage sons

WUSA9 is now on Roku and Amazon Fire TVs. Download the apps today for live newscasts and video on demand.

Download the WUSA9 app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.

Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.
Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021.

Before You Leave, Check This Out