Virginia State Police are investigating what caused a commercial truck to run off a Middlesex County road Monday morning, leaving driver William Norman Ellis Jr. dead at the scene. The fatal wreck shut down part of Burchs Mill Road as investigators worked the site.
Dispatchers received the first emergency report at 8:42 a.m. Troopers arrived within minutes to find a 2023 International truck overturned and resting against a tree off the westbound lane.

Preliminary investigation records show Ellis was traveling west when his rig unexpectedly drifted off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle showed no immediate signs of stopping before it left the asphalt.
The moving truck struck a roadside sign first, then snapped a utility pole as it plowed off the shoulder. That double collision knocked the big rig off balance, forcing the heavy vehicle to flip onto its side.
The momentum carried the sliding truck further into the treeline along Burchs Mill Road. The secondary impact with a large tree brought the vehicle to a stop, causing severe cab damage.
Troopers confirmed that 57-year-old Ellis, who lived in Hartfield, Virginia, sustained lethal injuries during the sequence of impacts. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene shortly after arriving.
Crash reconstruction teams stayed on Burchs Mill Road for hours to log physical evidence and map the path of the truck. State police have not yet released whether mechanical failure, road conditions, or a medical episode contributed to the crash.



