Major HRBT crash caused about $25K worth of damage, VDOT says

May 16-- May 16--An eight-car pileup in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Wednesday morning caused an estimated $25,000 of damage, according to a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Nine sections of handrail on the bridge-tunnel were damaged, along with two internal lights and several sections of wall tile, said VDOT spokeswoman Holly Christopher.

"There was no major structural damage," she said. "VDOT maintenance crews will handle the repairs during previously scheduled overnight lane closures, likely next week."

Virginia State Police said they charged William Marakos with following another vehicle too closely and causing the crash. He was driving the Price Electric truck involved in the incident, Sgt. Michelle Anaya said Wednesday afternoon.

The cost of the damages will be billed to his insurance company, Christopher said. She couldn't give a time frame for the repairs.

No injuries were reported from the crash but two people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries from secondary wrecks that happened after the initial one.

The crash happened at about 8:20 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the HRBT and caused traffic delays in Hampton and Norfolk on I-64.

According to Anaya, Marakos was driving a Ford F350 truck for Price Electric. It hit the vehicle in front of it, swerved and veered into the path of a tractor-trailer carrying hot tar. Eight vehicles were involved in the ensuing chain reaction.

At around 9:15 a.m., there was a two-mile backup on eastbound I-64 at the bridge-tunnel and a five-mile backup westbound, according to VDOT. The bridge-tunnel fully reopened at about 11:20 a.m.

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