Courtesy of Virginia State Police

John Ledford, 25, was charged with failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

The driver of a tractor-trailer that crashed down an embankment on Interstate 77 on Thursday morning escaped with injuries that weren't life-threatening, Virginia State Police said.

John Ledford, 25, of Sandersville, Ga., was driving south on the interstate in Wythe County during heavy rain when he lost control of his truck about 7:30 a.m., Sgt. Michael Conroy said.

The tractor-trailer crashed through a guardrail and down a hill just before the New River Bridge.

The truck was crushed, and the road was blocked for a short time while crews cleaned up a minor fuel spill from its tanks. The truck was loaded with vacuum cleaners.

Ledford was charged with failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

-- Shawna Morrison