Virginia storm turns deadly, dozens of crashes reported

Trooper's vehicle damaged during fatal crash in Chesterfield County (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - As of 9:15 p.m. Monday, Virginia State Police are on the scene of 97 traffic crashes statewide. Troopers are also responding to an additional 14 disabled vehicles across the Commonwealth.

From midnight through 9:15 p.m. Monday, Virginia State Police responded to hundreds of traffic crashes, three of which was deadly.

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Division I–Richmond (Metro Richmond/Northern Neck/Tri-Cities)

Traffic Crashes=64

  • Henrico County: At 4:59 p.m. Monday (Feb. 15), Virginia State Police responded to three separate vehicles that had spun off and around the westbound lanes of Interstate 64 at the 195 mile marker in Henrico County. As a VSP sergeant was on scene assisting a male driver of a Jeep that had spun out, when a Chevrolet Camaro spun out and struck the Jeep. The male driver was struck by the Jeep and then the Camaro. The Camaro then struck the Sergeant's patrol car. As the Sergeant and a trooper were aiding the struck male driver, who was in the interstate lane…another vehicle lost control and struck the sergeant's patrol car. The sergeant was not injured. The male driver was transported to VCU Medical Center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the Camaro were transported to VCU Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
  • Chesterfield County: At 5:14 p.m. Monday (Feb. 15), Virginia State Police were called to a two-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of Route 288 north of Lucks Lane in Chesterfield County. The vehicles ran off the road and into the median. One of the drivers was transported from the scene for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The trooper, one of the drivers and a passenger were standing in the median when another vehicle ran off of Route 288 and crashed into them. The vehicle kept going and came to a stop after striking the trooper's patrol car. The impact of the crash threw one of the pedestrians into a nearby Chesterfield County firefighter. That pedestrian died at the scene. The state trooper and other pedestrian were transported to VCU Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. The Chesterfield County firefighter was transported to St. Francis Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. The Virginia State Police Richmond Division Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting with the crash investigation, which remains ongoing at this time. ***PHOTOS ATTACHED***
  • Hanover County: At 7:53 p.m., a Virginia State Police trooper was struck while seated inside his vehicle in the southbound lanes of I-295 at the 32 mile marker. The trooper suffered minor injuries.

Division II–Culpeper (Fredericksburg/Culpeper/Warrenton/Harrisonburg/Winchester)

Traffic Crashes=2

  • Fauquier County: At 6:59 a.m., Virginia State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash in Fauquier County. A 1999 Chevrolet Suburban was traveling west on Crest Hill Road, near Ada Road, when it crossed the centerline and struck head-on an eastbound snow plow. The driver of the SUV, Steven H. Gibbs, 63, of Linden, Va., died at the scene. The driver of the snow plow was not injured in the crash. Speed and slick road conditions were factors in the crash, which remains under investigation at this time. Crest Hill Road was re-opened by 9:40 a.m. Monday.

Division III-Appomattox (Charlottesville/Waynesboro/Staunton/Lynchburg/South Boston/South Hill)

Traffic Crashes=7

Division IV-Wytheville (Wytheville/Dublin/Galax/Bristol/Vansant/Wise)

Traffic Crashes=6

Division V-Chesapeake (Hampton Roads/Tidewater/Eastern Shore/Williamsburg/Franklin/Emporia)

Traffic Crashes=5

Division VI-Salem (Lexington/Clifton Forge/Roanoke/Blacksburg/Bedford/Martinsville/Danville)

Traffic Crashes=4

Division VII-Fairfax (Prince William/Loudoun/Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax)

Traffic Crashes=4

  • Loudoun County: At 7:07 p.m., Monday (Feb. 13), Virginia State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Route 7/Harry Byrd Highway in Loudoun County. A passenger vehicle was traveling west on Route 7 when it rear-ended a backhoe traveling west in the right lane. The driver of the passenger vehicle, an adult female, died at the scene. The operator of the backhoe was not injured in the crash. The road was slick at the time of the crash, which remains under investigation at this time. State police are still in the process of notifying the decedent's next of kin.

Drivers are also advised NOT to call 911 or #77 to find out about road conditions. These phone lines must remain clear for real emergencies. Call 511 for road conditions or click on www.511virginia.org.

If you do HAVE to travel, then please keep these safety tips in mind:

  • Clear off all snow from your vehicle – windows, roof, trunk and lights
  • Add extra time to reach travel destination
  • Slow speed for road conditions
  • Increase driving distances between vehicles for increased stopping distance
  • Buckle up and don't drive distracted
  • MOVE OVER for all stopped emergency vehicles, highway vehicles and tow trucks.