Beer truck driver charged with reckless driving in deadly Stafford crash

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — The driver of a tractor-trailer has been charged for his involvement in a deadly crash on Interstate 95 Wednesday morning that shut down the highway for hours. 

Wheelman Andrews, a 58-year-old man from Carrollton, Virginia, is facing reckless driving charges after a crash that left two Virginia men dead. 

Virginia State Police were first called to the scene, at the 136-mile marker of I-95, just before 4:45 a.m. for a reported multi-car crash. Investigation found that Andrews was driving north in a 2022 Freightliner tractor-trailer in the center lane of the highway and tried to shift into the right lane when he hit a 2014 Nissan Altima. The impact caused both the truck and the Nissan Altima to veer into the left lane, hitting a 2010 Subaru Forrester.

All three vehicles ran off the road, hitting a guardrail on the left side of the highway. The tractor-trailer flipped over and landed on top of the Nissan and Subaru. 

The drivers of both cars, 50-year-old Johnathon Booth of Fredericksburg and 67-year-old Kevin Paddeu of Quinton, were killed at the scene. Both men were wearing seatbelts. 

Andrews suffered minor injuries and was treated at Mary Washington Hospital. He was later taken into police custody and charged with reckless driving, before being released on an unsecured bond. 

The truck was carrying 78,000 pounds of beer. Northbound lanes were closed for about 5 hours, while VDOT was on scene. 

The crash is still under investigation and anyone with relevant information is asked to call Virginia State Trooper A. Roberts at 540-891-4108 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov.