RICHMOND, Va. -- Investigators are still trying to determine what caused a tractor-trailer carrying I-beams to lose one, causing it to strike a septic truck driving to the left of it.
Virginia State Police responded to the crash around noon on Wednesday.
According to police, the septic truck exploded, causing the vehicle to overturn and become engulfed in flames.
The driver of the septic truck was 36-year-old Brent Szarzynski of Chesterfield, who died on the scene.
The identification of the victim came after VSP originally reported it was a 49-year-old man from Dilwyn.
VSP said the truck carrying the load of I-beams was deemed "overheight" and going at a high rate of speed.
The section of I-95S has a speed limit of 55mph. VSP said it was still investigating the speed of the truck.
Between the Robin Hood Road exit onto I-95S and the Belvidere overpass, there are no overheight signs. According to Virginia State Code, any bridge 14 feet tall or above does not need to have any overheight signage.
That same code says no loaded or unloaded vehicle shall exceed the height of 13 feet, six inches.
VDOT representative Melanie Stokes said the department is prioritizing signage to prevent taller vehicles from hitting lower-hanging bridges.
"Overheight signs are of very high priority for VDOT, and in fact, overheight signs were just installed here in Central Virginia, a few new ones in the last few months," Stokes said.
As of Thursday afternoon, the shoulder and sidewalk on the Belvidere overpass are closed to travelers.
VDOT estimates about 80 feet of the bridge will need to be repaired over the I-95 South side.
"When those repairs do come about, the bridge will probably have to be closed for intermitted times. I'm sure we'll do those closures at night time or when it's convenient for travelers, or diver traffic to the other side, so they can still get by," Stokes said.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
