Centreville Tow Truck Driver Killed in I-495 Crash

(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story noted that the Baltimore truck driver was cited for holding a cell phone while driving; that information was from Virginia State Police; they have now corrected that earlier statement and say that he was not cited for holding a cell phone.)

A Centreville man was killed Monday along I-495, after he was hit by a Baltimore truck whose driver was charged with reckless driving, according to Virginia State Police.

At 9:53 a.m., Monday (Dec. 29), Virginia State Police Trooper K.S. Fleenor responded to a fatal pedestrian crash in Fairfax County. The incident occurred along the southbound lanes of Interstate 495 near Exit 49 for Route 7.

A Fairfax Towing & Recovery wrecker had stopped out on the right southbound shoulder of I-495 for an unattended vehicle. As the wrecker driver, Najdi Hicham, 45, of Centreville, was on the side of the rollback wrecker prepping the unattended vehicle, a box truck traveling south on I-495 crossed into the shoulder and struck Hicham. Hicham died at the scene.

The driver of the box truck, Anthony B. Custis, 34, of Baltimore, Md., was charged with reckless driving. The truck was also placed out of service for having inoperable brakes and other CMV equipment and safety violations.

Neither Custis nor his adult male passenger was injured.

The Virginia State Police Accident Reconstruction Team also responded to the scene to assist with the ongoing investigation.

The Exit 49 ramp to Route 7 was re-opened to through traffic at 11:45 a.m.