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Two motorcyclists injured after crash with tractor trailer in New Kent

Posted at 2:28 PM, May 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-05-12 22:33:50-04

NEW KENT, Va. (WTVR) - Motorists experienced delays on Interstate 64 Saturday afternoon due to a tractor trailer accident neat the New Kent-Henrico County line.

Sgt. Thomas Molnar with Virginia State Police tells CBS 6 that troopers responded to a three vehicle crash on I-64 west at mile marker 217 shortly after 1:09 p.m. Molnar says the accident involved two motorcycles and the tractor trailer.

"The crash occurred when the driver of a 2012 Volvo tractor-trailer, failed to maintain his lane of travel and partially crossed over into the left lane from the right lane.," Molnar said in a release.

"As the tractor-trailer came over into the left lane, the rider of a 2005 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle ran off the left side of the roadway to avoid being struck by the tractor-trailer.  The driver was ejected off of the motorcycle," according to Molnar. "The motorcycle came back into the roadway and was struck by the tractor-trailer.  The impact then caused the driver of a 2005 Kawasaki ZX-1000 to also run off the left side of the roadway."

Molnar says the driver of the Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries and was med-flighted to VCU Medical Center. The driver of the 2005 Kawasaki ZX-1000 suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene, and the driver of the tractor trailer was uninjured. Both riders were wearing helmets.

The highway was closed for about 30 minutes to allow for the med-flight, but all lanes were re-opened at 2:00 p.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Hersie Tyson Jr., 57, of Jackson, TN., was charged with failure to properly maintain his lane of travel.