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---Massive pileup on Interstate 95 in North Stafford injures three; Authorities say more than 120 cars are involved.
By PAMELA GOULD The Free Lance-Star
Rescue officials are working frantically to clear a massive pileup on Interstate 95 in North Stafford this afternoon.
The pileup appears to be the worst of a number of wrecks caused by today's snowstorm. A smaller pileup has stalled traffic near the Massaponax exit of I–95.
Charlie Robertson, a spokesman for Stafford Fire Company No. 2, said more than 120 cars are involved in the North Stafford pileup, which began about three miles north of the Garrisonville Road exit and stretches at least three miles back to Russell Road. At least one person suffered life- threatening injuries and two others were hurt seriously, Robertson said. An untold number of people have minor injuries.
"The scope of this is so large, we only know what's going on on the back end via radio on the front end," Robertson said.
Traffic is stopped in the southbound lane and officials are transporting motorists to Anne Moncure Elementary School on Garrisonville Road to wait until the scene is cleared. Robertson said the accident occurred around 10:50 a.m. during a white-out during a snowstorm.
At least one car and a tractortrailer then caught fire. "Because of the white-out, there was a road incident and then people were running into one after another after another," Robertson said.
At least eight ambulances and six fire vehicles have been committed to the scene, but were delayed because of a fire. A command vehicle was sent to the scene, but was still stuck in traffic around 2 p.m.
Vehicles are stacked on top of each other in the median and off the shoulder off I–95. Some vehicles are scattered in the woods off the road.
Authorities are urging people stuck in the traffic jam to abandon their cars and walk to the command post near the Garrisonville exit or the nearest exit ramp to be transported to the school.
Michael Simpson of Stafford, who works for GE Consumer Services, had just left a call in Prince William County when he got caught up in the accident.
"It was just like a blank wall," he said of the white-out.
"You couldn‚t see nothing in front of you. You just saw a pair of lights."
Simpson said he saw a tractor-trailer jackknife and everything went haywire. He lost control of his van and hit another vehicle. When he got out of his van, Simpson said he saw a Honda Civic that was crumpled "like metal going through a shredding machine."
He ran north on the interstate until he found help.
Rescue crews had to cut the woman out of the Civic. Her condition not known, but a rescue official said she had a pulse.
Richard Ferolito, 56, of New York was headed to Florida with his wife for week's vacation when he got caught up in the wreck. His Jeep Grand Cherokee was damaged, but he and his wife were unhurt. "God was with me," he said. "Somebody was just huddled around us, that's all I can tell you."
State police are on the scene. Traffic is moving slowly in the northbound lane of 95, but officials are still busy getting people out of their cars in the southbound lane and haven't even begun to clear that wreckage.
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