Roanoke, VA : A crash in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81 on Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Katherine B. McKeown, 31, of Charlottesville died Tuesday in a crash in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81 in Montgomery County, Virginia State Police said Wednesday.

Two other people were injured in the wreck, and a truck driver was charged with reckless driving after the crash that prompted 20 miles of traffic backups.

According to a state police account, the crash happened at 1:28 p.m. near mile marker 127. A 1988 Freightliner tractor trailer driving in the right lane came up on slowing traffic and hit a 2008 Chrysler Sebring, then changed lanes and hit a 2013 Nissan Altima that was stopped. The Altima was pushed into the back of an International box truck, state police reported.

McKeown was a passenger in the Altima. She had been wearing her seat belt, and died at the scene, state police said.

The Altima’s driver, Bradley A. McKeown, 32, also of Charlottesville, was taken to LewisGale Hospital Montgomery with what state police called non-life-threatening injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, state police said. A hospital spokeswoman said no information about him could be released.

The Sebring’s driver, Princess K. Gress, 25, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She was wearing a seat belt. On Wednesday, Hannah Cline, a public relations specialist at the hospital, said Gress had been released.

The International’s driver, John A. Caraway, 54, of Thomasville, North Carolina, was wearing a seat belt and was not hurt, state police reported.

Police charged the Freightliner’s driver, Khaul Aamir Rahim, 47, of Wilmington, Deleware.

He had been wearing a seat belt and was not hurt, state police said.

Officers continue to investigate the crash.

Source :
State police identify woman killed in Tuesday I-81 crash