Crime & Safety

Two dead and several injured in Williamsburg fatal crash last week, new details emerged

Williamsburg, Virginia – The number of pedestrian victims in the Roanoke area and statewide has been on the rise for years. According to a recent report by the Roanoke DMV, a record-high number of pedestrian fatalities were reported last year, when the number of victims reached 125 in Virginia. This year, recently released preliminary data shows that the number of pedestrian fatalities in Virginia is close to last year’s levels, and the state would probably set a new negative record.

Last year, a total of five pedestrians were killed in the Roanoke region until November. As of November 14, this year, a total of 18 pedestrians were killed in crashes. This trend is totally unexpected, taking into consideration the fact that modern vehicles are equipped with a variety of safety systems, cameras, and radars and are by far more advanced than older vehicles. But speeding and drunk driving remain the two main causes of traffic incidents, and these have nothing to do with a vehicle’s safety.

Last week’s collision near Williamsburg was fatal for three people, while several others were injured. In the initial report, first responders didn’t provide many details about what led to the deadly collision when a bus carrying more than 20 people collided with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 64 on Friday. The Virginia State Police was initially investigating the case, and 10 investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board joined them to conduct a safety investigation, officials later confirmed.

The two vehicles were traveling in eastbound lanes toward Norfolk when the “passenger bus merged into the tractor trailer’s path” and the “vehicles collided,” state police said in a news release.

On Monday, investigators said that alcohol and speed contributed to the deadly crash. Investigators said that more details about the crash will be released later this week. So far, no charges have been filed against any of the drivers involved.

The crash was fatal for two Norfolk men in their 20s and a 19-year-old Chesapeake woman. They were all passengers in the bus and were pronounced dead at the scene. The bus driver and the tractor-trailer driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.

This is a developing story. Stay with us for updates when available.

Donald Wolfe

Donald’s writings have appeared in HuffPost, Washington Examiner, The Saturday Evening Post, and The Virginian-Pilot, among other publications. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He is the Virginian Tribune's Publisher.

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