Trending Topics

Va. sheriff’s office: ‘Crab-tastrophe’ temporarily shuts down highway after crustaceans scattered on roadway

Images shared by the New Kent County Sheriff’s Office show a van on its side with crabs crawling around its ajar doors, the pavement and the wooden barrels inside

505744103_1010855384536449_7202745754111318562_n.jpg

New Kent County Sheriff’s Office

By John Buzbee
The Virginian-Pilot

NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. — A vehicle crash involving a van hauling barrels of blue crabs temporarily closed Interstate 64 early Thursday morning after the crustaceans were scattered all over the roadway, the New Kent County Sheriff’s Office said.

Images shared by deputies at around 2:38 a.m. show a van on its side with crabs crawling around its ajar doors, the pavement and the wooden barrels inside which had been knocked around. As a result of the crash, Westbound Interstate 64 near route 249 was closed for about an hour. Drivers were advised at the time to avoid the scene.

A Virginia State Police spokesperson said later on Thursday there were no reported injuries to one vehicle that crashed. He said there appeared to be no or limited injures to the crabs, as far as officials could tell.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

The sheriff’s office said on social media “Crab-tastrophe averted!” when the interstate was reopened.

Trending
The Greenville Police Department officer was released from the hospital following the shooting; the suspect was later fatally shot during a pursuit by Greenville County Sheriff’s deputies
How video evidence, officer tactics and political reaction shaped public perception before the investigation was complete
The former trooper is charged with first-degree falsely reporting an incident, misuse of 911, evading responsibility and failure to drive in the established lane
One Henderson Police officer fired shots at the suspect as he approached her with the front loader; another officer shot at the man as he used the equipment to ram two cruisers

©2025 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.