Sedan crashes into tar truck, spilling cargo on I-95
TL;DR: A sedan struck a tar truck on I-95 southbound near Ruffin Mill Road early Monday, November 9, causing the truck to overturn and spill tar across three lanes, hospitalizing both drivers and causing three hours of traffic delays.
Quick facts
- Who: Sedan driver and tar truck driver
- What: Sedan crashed into tar truck, causing truck to overturn and spill cargo
- When: Monday, November 9, 2026, approximately 4:55 a.m.
- Where: Interstate 95 southbound near Ruffin Mill Road (Exit 58), Chesterfield County
The story
A sedan struck a tar truck on Interstate 95 southbound near Ruffin Mill Road (Exit 58) early Monday, November 9, 2026, at approximately 4:55 a.m. According to Virginia State Police, the sedan driver attempted to change lanes and collided with the truck transporting tar. The impact caused the tar truck to overturn, spilling its cargo across the roadway.
Both drivers were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The spilled tar affected three lanes of the southbound highway, forcing VDOT to mill the damaged pavement as a safety measure and close southbound lanes completely.
The incident created significant traffic congestion throughout the morning. Southbound drivers diverted to Route 1 to avoid the accident, with some motorists reporting delays of up to three hours. Traffic also backed up on the Boulevard in Colonial Heights as drivers sought alternate routes.
VDOT initially reopened the highway that afternoon but rerouted all southbound traffic beginning at 8 p.m. for repaving work. Full reopening of southbound I-95 was expected by 6 a.m. Tuesday, November 10.
Key players
- Virginia State Police: Investigated the crash and attributed cause to the sedan driver's lane change
- Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): Managed cleanup, milled damaged pavement, and oversaw road repairs
Why it matters: The incident disrupted commute traffic for thousands of morning drivers, with some facing three-hour delays. The cleanup and repairs continued to affect travel throughout Monday evening and into Tuesday morning.
Places
- Interstate 95
- Ruffin Mill Road
- Route 1
- the Boulevard (Colonial Heights)+Chesterfield+VA)
Development timeline
- 2026-11-09Sedan strikes tar truck on I-95 southbound: At approximately 4:55 a.m., a sedan driver attempting a lane change collided with a tar truck near Ruffin Mill Road (Exit 58), causing the truck to overturn and spill tar across the roadway. [source]
- 2026-11-09Southbound I-95 closed for cleanup and repairs: VDOT milled damaged pavement and initially reopened the highway that afternoon, then rerouted all southbound traffic at 8 p.m. for repaving, with full reopening expected by 6 a.m. Tuesday. [source]
Related links
Read the original at WTVR CBS 6 Local →