Virginia State Police ID 3 people killed in fiery Prince William County crash
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Three people are dead after a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in Prince Wiliam County Thursday afternoon.
Virginia State Police say at around 4:33 p.m., a state trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a 2008 Dodge Avenger that was traveling north on I-95 at a high rate of speed in Spotsylvania County.
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Police say the Dodge refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. Due to heavy traffic, the trooper stopped the pursuit and the Dodge reportedly sped away on the left shoulder of the highway.
According to police, other troopers positioned themselves for the suspect vehicle further north and reinitiated another pursuit.
Police say the Dodge, which continued speeding, broke through three lighted Express Lane gates as it traveled north onto the lanes that were switched for southbound traffic only. Police say the trooper did not follow the Dodge into the Express Lanes.
(Virginia State Police)
When inside the Express Lanes at mile marker 155, the Dodge struck a Ford Ranger pickup truck head-on. Police say the impact of the collision caused the Ford to run off the side of the Express Lanes and over the guardrail. Meanwhile, police say two more vehicles that were traveling southbound also hit the Dodge, which caused it to catch on fire.
The driver of the Dodge, Stephanie T. Morton, 46, of Richmond, Va., died at the scene of the crash. A passenger in her vehicle, 26-year-old Tia Porter of Richmond, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
A 61-year-old Dumfries man, Kenneth Crosby Jr., was also killed in the crash.
The driver of the third vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say the driver and two passengers in the fourth vehicle were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The incident is currently under investigation. Police say names will be released once next of kin is notified.