On December 26, 2023 at about 5:38 P.M. Hampshire County 911 received a report of a single vehicle crash, involving a tractor and trailer, at 8304 Cumberland Road (Rt. 28) in Springfield, WV. Several first responders were dispatched to the crash, along with Cpl. T. Veach and Deputy B. Liller with the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office and Trooper Ward of the WV State Police.

Deputies learned through investigation the tractor and trailer, hauling logs, was traveling north on Cumberland Road when the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle and ran off the right side of the roadway. The truck overturned and was extremely damaged. The driver of the tractor and trailer was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and was identified as Richard E. Gray, age 77, of Chenango, NY. The truck was owned by Richard Gray Trucking, LLC.

The roadway was shut down for an extended period of time while Fire and EMS personnel worked to extricate the driver from the truck. Excessive speed and wet roads are believed to have contributed to the crash.

Springfield Fire, Romney Fire, Fort Ashby Fire/EMS, Hampshire County EMS, WV DOT, and Medical Examiner Chris Guynn responded to the scene.

Cpl. T. Veach is leading the investigation.