It was just another typical hot Tuesday evening along the busy stretch of Interstate 81. The sun was starting to dip down over the hills of western Virginia. Drivers were just trying to make it home after a long day at work. But for one local rider, the commute ended in absolute tragedy.
Andrew David Lee Camp was a thirty-six-year-old guy from the small town of Callaway. Folks around those parts know it is a tight-knit community. Andrew loved the open road and loved the feeling of freedom. On this particular evening, he was out on his prized 1994 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Traffic was thick and moving heavy through Botetourt County around six in the evening. Andrew was heading northbound on the multi-lane interstate. Witnesses later told authorities that the motorcycle was darting quickly between the lanes. He was weaving in and out of the crowded rows of cars and massive semi-trucks.
Then, everything went wrong in a split second. Around 6:07 p.m., just about a half-mile south of Brughs Mill Road, Andrew’s Harley crashed. It struck the back end of a 2002 Honda pickup truck. The impact was incredibly violent and sent shockwaves through the immediate traffic.
First responders rushed to the scene as traffic ground to a complete halt. Sadly, there was nothing the medics could do to save him. Andrew was pronounced dead right there on the hot asphalt. He was wearing his helmet at the time, but the force of the collision was simply too much to survive.
The stretch of road where Andrew lost his life is notorious among locals. Interstate 81 serves as a massive shipping corridor through the Roanoke Valley. It is always packed with big rigs and high-speed commuters. It demands total focus from anyone who decides to hit the asphalt on two wheels.
Right now, the Virginia State Police are left picking up the pieces. Their specialized Crash Reconstruction Team spent hours looking at the skid marks and debris. They are still actively trying to figure out exactly what caused the sequence of events. For Andrew’s family and friends back in Callaway, a routine ride turned into a permanent nightmare.
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