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Augusta County: Charges filed in fiery crash on Interstate 81 on Saturday

Crystal Graham
fiery crash interstate 81 i-81
Photo: © Eli Wilson/Wirestock/stock.adobe.com

Virginia State Police have announced charges in a fiery crash on Saturday on Interstate 81 in Augusta County involving one car and a tractor trailer.

Mustafa B. Dogan, 22, of Ridgefield, N.J., has been charged with reckless driving, according to an update from VSP sent today.

The accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. on I-81 northbound at the 228 mile marker.

According to the police report, a Volvo tractor trailer was travelling northbound on I-81 in the left lane, when it was struck by a Honda CRV, driven by Dogan, that was attempting to move from the right lane to the left lane.

The impact caused both vehicles to strike the guard rail and the bridge.

The cab then separated from the trailer and went off the right side of the bridge and into the Middle River below.

The trailer overturned on the bridge and both vehicles caught fire.

The driver of the tractor trailer, Arpinder S. Flora, 42, of Gainesville, Va., was ejected from the vehicle.

Flora and Dogan suffered serious injuries and were taken to an area hospital for treatment. No update was provided on their current condition.

The crash remains under investigation.

The scene of the fiery crash


Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.

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