Charges have been laid after yet another chain reaction crash on Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent.
The OPP confirm three tractor trailers and two vehicles were involved in the crash that occurred around 3:45 p.m. Thursday in the eastbound lanes of the highway near Communication Road.
Due to slow moving traffic in the construction zone an eastbound tractor trailer stopped causing the following tractor trailer to come to a safe stop.
A third tractor trailer collided into the back of the second tractor trailer causing the second tractor trailer to collide into the first tractor trailer. Two motor vehicles then collided into the back of the third tractor trailer.
In total, five vehicles sustained damage, three of them serious, and all had to be towed from the scene. But police report only minor injuries.
As a result the 51-year-old driver of the transport truck, Kulwant Virk, of Brampton, Ontario has been charged with careless driving, contrary to the Highway Traffic Act.
In addition, 69-year-old Graham Clayton of Windsor and 35-year-old Jason Hearn, of St. Thomas has been charged with following too closely.
Police say during the cleanup of the scene, an eastbound tractor trailer attempted to use the centre median, near the Charing Cross Overpass, to turn around and became stuck resulting in more resources having to attend to safely remove the vehicle and also resulted in an added delay in opening the highway.
As a result, the 25-year-old driver, Vishnu Vulpala Scarborough, Ontario has been charged with careless driving and failure to maintain a daily log.
Highway 401 was closed for several hours to allow for the safe removal of all the tractor trailers involved.
