Route 3 crash causes fuel leak on highway

The crash that closed westbound State Route 3 for several hours Monday night sent one person to the hospital and led to a diesel fuel leak, according to Kathy Smith, Spotsylvania County spokeswoman.

Virginia State Police Sgt. Les Tyler said the crash happened at about 7 p.m. when a Honda CRV pulled from a side road onto the highway and was hit by a tractor-trailer.

The CRV driver, Jae M. Lee, 20, was charged with failing to yield right of way, Tyler said.

Lee was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A fuel tank on the tractor-trailer was damaged in the crash, which led to the spill. Spotsylvania fire and rescue crews and a representative with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management initially helped with the fuel leak.

A HAZMAT cleanup contractor eventually came and cleaned the spill from the roadway.

Spotsylvania Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management crews, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Transportation responded to the incident, helping secure the scene and direct traffic.

Both lanes of westbound Route 3 were closed until about 11:30 p.m.

--Scott Shenk