State Police report winter storm accidents – one fatality in Pulaski County

As the winter storm has moved up the Interstate 81 corridor in Virginia through the Shenandoah Valley and across Northern Virginia, Virginia State Police (as of 3 p.m.) have responded to roughly 200 traffic crashes and at least 125 disabled vehicles today (Dec. 16). Fortunately, the majority of crashes have only involved damage to vehicles and not injuries – as most crashes involve vehicles sliding off the road and into a ditch, embankment, guardrail, etc.

Crashes across Northern Virginia have been steadily increasing since approximately 1 p.m. Motorists are advised to please slow your speed for conditions when traveling during the storm. Increasing one’s driving distance between the vehicle in front of you and buckling up will also help limit crashes and injuries. Please use your headlights, so other drivers can better see you. Also, be prepared for treated roads to ice over as evening sets in and temperatures drop.

Virginia State Police has investigated one fatal crash so far today (I can’t speak for local agencies responding to crashes within their jurisdictions):

Virginia State Police Trooper P. Salamanca is investigating a single-vehicle crash in Pulaski County. The crash was one in a series of crashes that occurred on I-81 at the 94 mile marker Wednesday (Dec. 16) morning. At approximately 7:45 a.m., a Toyota Tacoma was traveling on I-81 when it ran off the right side of I-81, struck an embankment and overturned.

The driver, Brannagan K. Locklear, 19, of Pembroke, N.C., was transported to Lewis Gale Hospital in Pulaski, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

Slick road conditions were a factor in the cause of the crash.