By Alexa Epitropoulos | aepitropoulos@alextimes.com

An Alexandria resident died in a Fairfax County crash in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, the Virginia State Police announced in a news release.

Christopher S. Padilla, 30, of Alexandria, was traveling west on I-495 in a 2013 Honda Civic when he ran off the right side of the highway and struck the rear of a stopped tractor-trailer. 

The tractor-trailer, also traveling west, was experiencing mechanical issues and the driver had stopped to inspect for any damage or mechanical failure. He had returned to the driver’s seat of the cab and had fastened his seatbelt when he felt the impact to the trailer. 

Virginia State Police were called to the scene of the crash at 3:36 a.m. The driver, who wasn’t named, wasn’t injured in the crash.

State police are still investigating the incident.