What happened? This crash closed Interstate 64 in Henrico for hours

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A tractor-trailer driver was charged after the bed of his truck hit an overhead sign on Interstate 64 west near Interstate 295 in eastern Henrico County Thursday morning. The crash closed traffic for more than seven hours and caused miles of queues along the busy interstate.

In dramatic footage captured by a VDOT camera, the crashed truck appears to be leaning against an overhead highway sign.

Traffic diverted from Exit 205 began a 6-mile-long jam as of 2 p.m., according to VDOT officials.

Drivers were “encouraged to seek alternative routes to avoid significant delays” until the left lane of the interstate reopened around 4:45 p.m.

WATCH: Interstate 64 sign destroyed after truck crash

Watch: Interstate 64 sign destroyed after truck crash

Ian Foster was among those passing by after the accident on Thursday morning, which caused a stampede that stretched for miles.

“I just saw the accident. There’s some terrible damage to the sign,” Foster said. “It’s been years since we’ve seen a rebound this far, right?”

The truck was traveling westbound when its raised bed struck the overhead sign near mile marker 200 as it approached the I-64/I-295 split.

Virginia State Police said the crash occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m.

“The taxi continued on its way and then stopped because it had separated from the bed of the tractor-trailer,” said Virginia State Police spokesman Matt Demlein. “We’re still investigating what caused it to hit the sign. It was unoccupied at the time.”

Police officers don’t know why the bed was raised or how long it had been up before the crash, but authorities said the truck had stopped at a weigh station equipped with cameras about a mile earlier.

Tyler Mizelle, VA 511, Henrico Police via WTVR

No one was injured in the incident and the 62-year-old driver was cited for reckless driving, authorities said.

Crews were able to remove the mattress from the sign around 11 a.m., allowing hours of cleanup to begin.

As westbound traffic remained closed for several hours after the accident, vehicles still on the road were told to turn back and proceed east on a section of the highway.

Driving further east on I-64, police officers set up a roadblock to divert traffic at the Bottoms Bridge exit, creating a backup six miles long at one point.

Foster, who was driving the wrong way on his way home to North Carolina, said it was great that no one was injured. He works in construction and said he has seen similar situations with other large trucks and that safety measures should be taken to prevent things like this.

“Sometimes you get carried away and you go out there,” Foster said. “I mean, it can happen to any of us, right? So you have to be careful.”

This is an evolving story. If you have additional information you would like to share, email the CBS 6 Newsroom.