Wrong-way driver kills two students in interstate highway crash

Two Virginia college students were killed last week after their car was hit by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 64. The young women, ages 19 and 17, who were killed were students at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.

The fatal car accident occurred just after 3 a.m. The students’ car was traveling westbound on the interstate near Harpersville Road. Their Ford Taurus collided head-on with a Chevrolet Tahoe that was heading east in the westbound lanes. The 19-year-old woman was seated in the middle of the back seat, while her 17-year-old friend was next to her in the seat behind the driver.

Three other people in the Taurus were injured and taken to hospitals. The driver of the car was airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, while the other two passengers were taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News.

The wrong-way driver, a 33-year-old man, had been scheduled to appear in court later in December on charges related to when he was arrested for drunk driving in September. Police said alcohol was a contributing factor in the fatal crash.

The 19-year-old woman who was killed had been wearing a lap restraint. She died at the scene of the accident. The 17-year-old, a student from the U.S. Virgin Islands, was not wearing a seatbelt. She died the day after the accident at Riverside in Newport News.

The loss of loved ones, especially those so young, is immeasurably tragic. Those affected by their loss often consult with attorneys who will help them through the aftermath to recover the compensation that may be available due to someone else’s negligence.

Source: Daily Press, “A second CNU student dies from injuries in I-64 wrong-way crash,” Eric Gillard, Dec. 5, 2011