9 Injured in 6-Vehicle Crash in Lewis County on I-79

January 3, 2010 - Lewis County, W.Va. - Six cars were involved in an accident that sent 9 people to the hospital Thursday evening.

WDTV reports that the multi-vehicle accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 79 in Lewis County. Six cars piled up in the southbound lanes of I-79 near mile marker 101.

Nine people suffered injuries in the accident. Timothy Mackey, 24, of Harrison County, was trapped in his vehicle immediately following the accident and had to be flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital via medical helicopter after rescue crews were able to release him. Mackey is said to be in critical condition.

The remaining 8 people that were injured in the crash were sent to area hospitals following the accident. All 8 have since been treated and released. The identities of the other 8 people involved in the accident are not available at this time.

The cause of the accident remains to be determined. The accident is under ongoing investigation by West Virginia State Police, though authorities have said that poor visibility may have played a role.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2009 West Virginia Crash Statistics show that there were 356 fatalities as a result of car accidents in West Virginia.

In an effort to raise awareness of common factors in serious and fatal car accidents in West Virginia, our firm routinely publishes news items about traffic crashes in our region.

Common West Virginia accidents include, but are not limited to:

• single-car crashes;
• tractor-trailer accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• distracted driver crashes.

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