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Rockingham County, VA (January 21, 2026) – A Virginia State Police trooper was injured early on Wednesday morning after her patrol vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer along the northbound lanes of Interstate 81.
The incident occurred around 5:47 a.m. near the 250 mile marker on I-81. According to the Virginia State Police, the trooper was outside her vehicle, checking on two stopped tractor-trailers on the shoulder of the highway, when a third northbound tractor-trailer veered into her patrol car.
The trooper sustained injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her K-9 partner, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash, was taken to a local veterinarian for evaluation and care.
The driver of the third tractor-trailer, identified as 51-year-old Nakia Bedward of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been charged with reckless driving. The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by state authorities.
We send our thoughts to the injured trooper and hope for a full and speedy recovery for both her and her K-9 partner.
