State trooper recovering after I-81 accident

WSLS Newschannel 10
Published: May 13, 2008

A Virginia State Trooper is recovering after his cruiser was hit by a tractor trailer this morning on Interstate 81.

The accident happened on I-81 northbound, about nine miles north of Troutville and four miles south of Buchanan.

State Police say Master Trooper J.H. Rasnick pulled over a tractor-trailer for speeding on the right side of the road, around 6:45 a.m.

Rasnick was sitting in the driver’s seat of his cruiser, and the truck driver was sitting in the passenger’s seat, getting the ticket.

Investigators tell us another tractor trailer hit the driver’s side door of the trooper’s cruiser, and kept going. The truck driver who was sitting in the passenger’s side of the trooper’s cruiser is not hurt, and is cooperating with investigators.

Rasnick is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

State Police say they are treating the investigation as a felony hit and run case.  They are looking for a dark colored conventional tractor, pulling a light colored box trailer.  Investigators tell us they are also looking at dash camera video from Trooper Rasnick’s cruiser for clues.  The traffic cameras that VDOT have on parts of I-81 did not show the accident.

Rasnick was featured in a public service announcement commerical for the move-over law, which requires drivers to merge into another lane or slow down if they cannot merge when a police officer pulls over a driver.

If you have any information, call State Police at (540) 380-5700 or 1-800-542-5959.