CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police have identified the motorist killed in a massive crash on the West Virginia Turnpike Friday afternoon.
The accident claimed the life of Hans Robinson, 43, of Charleston. According to Troopers Robinson was operating his pickup truck headed north on I-77 at the 83.5 mile marker when a semi travelling south lost control and crossed the median wall and struck his pickup head on.
Authorities say the driver of the rig was a 46 year old man from Lake Worth, Florida.
Two others in Robinson’s vehicle were taken to the hospital. A front seat passenger was treated and released at Thomas Memorial Hospital. The backseat passenger remains in stable condition at the Charleston Area Medical Center.
The tractor-trailer also side swiped a second northbound vehicle. The driver of the small passenger car was transported to CAMC General with non-life-threatening injuries. The front and rear seat passengers were transported to Thomas Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
The accident is being reconstructed and remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Police. So far, the driver of the semi has not been cited.
The accident forced the shutdown of all four lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike for about four hours on Friday evening just north of the Chelyan Toll Plaza.