64-year-old Roanoke man killed in tractor-trailer crash in Sussex

SUSSEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 64-year-old Roanoke man is dead after a tractor-trailer crash in Sussex County on Thursday.

At 2:47 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, Virginia State Police said troopers were on scene at 5214 General Mahone Highway in Sussex County for a deadly single-vehicle crash.

According to officials, the crash occurred at 1:46 p.m. as 64-year-old Keith Michael Loback of Roanoke was driving a 2020 Freightliner tractor-trailer -- loaded with car parts and batteries -- westbound on General Mahone Highway, west of Spring Branch Road.

(Photo: Virginia State Police)

(Photo: Virginia State Police)

Preliminary investigations revealed that, while traveling westbound on General Mahone Highway, another unidentified commercial vehicle traveling in the eastbound lanes lost its load cover -- which is a detached canvas tarp with a metal frame.

The load cover reportedly hit the driver's side area of Loback's windshield, which caused him to become unconscious upon impact.

The Freightliner then traveled out of the westbound lanes, crossed over the eastbound lanes and into the tree line, where the vehicle hit several trees, according to authorities. Loback died at the scene.

The crash caused the roadway to shut down and detours to be put in place. Virginia State Police said the road has since been reopened to traffic as of around 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Virginia State Police asked the public for help locating the other involved driver and their suspect vehicle. At about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the agency said that this driver had been found.

"State police would like to thank all those who called in and provided information on this incident," a state police spokesperson said. "This continues to be an ongoing criminal investigation and further information will be provided once it's available to be released."