Woman dies after ‘chain

Virginia State Police are investigating a “chain-reaction” crash involving several vehicles after a tractor-trailer was not able to stop in time after reaching traffic on Thursday.

According to a release from state police, the tractor-trailer was traveling south on Route 17 and came upon stopped traffic but could not brake before crashing into a Chevrolet sedan. The impact of that crash pushed the car into the back of a flatbed trailer being towed by a pickup truck.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Ashley Chapman, 25, died at the scene. A passenger that was traveling with Chapman was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Richard E. Hutchison-Wright II, 41, of Newport News, was charged with reckless driving.

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