ROANOKE, W.Va. — A Braxton County man died in a crash on Interstate 79 in Lewis County Thursday afternoon.
According to state police, Harry Dean, 71, of Sutton, was driving south between the Roanoke and Burnsville exits at about 1:30 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle. The vehicle went across the median and airborne before slamming into a northbound UPS tractor trailer.
Dean was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle, was taken from the scene by helicopter to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured.
The wreck backed up northbound traffic for a couple of hours which slowed motorists headed to the WVU football game in Morgantown.
Troopers are continuing their investigation into the crash.