5 Die in a Head-On Collision on Interstate 85 | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What Happened

Five people died in a horrible crash that occurred on Interstate 85 (I-85) near Brunswick County (VA). The driver of a 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup was traveling in the wrong direction and wound up striking a 2011 Toyota Corolla which lead to the death of the wrong-way driver and all four occupants of the Toyota, according to a report by The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

A motorist alerted the authorities around 5:42 AM, so state police were already on the way to apprehend the wrong-way driver but the wreck occurred before they could get there. The names of the victims have not been released, but the cars were both so damaged that it took experts a long time to sort and clear the shambled wreckage that once was human life. State police are still trying to identify the victims.

A map of the approximate accident location is below:


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The Virginia Injury Lawyer’s Perspective

Police have not released a reason why Skinner was driving the wrong way on the interstate, but they did disclose that he was wearing his seat belt. While they do not know if alcohol was involved, it appears as though the driver and passengers of the Toyota fell victim to, at the very least, extremely reckless driving. Losing anyone in a preventable car accident is terrible, but when four people lose their lives because of one driver’s mistake, it is heartbreaking. Was the driver of the Toyota sick? Too tired? We don’t know, but if it turns out that the driver was reckless, impaired or negligent, the family of the victims may have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Potentially Helpful Info

The family of the victims may not know that they could seek some semblance of justice. For example,  when a Shenandoah man died after being struck outside his vehicle, our legal team worked with an expert accident reconstructionist to help the court determine who was at fault in the accident. A confidential sum was secured for our deceased client’s family because we were able bring in the right experts to provide the information we needed for mediation.

Along with expertise in this area, our VA personal injury lawyers published an in-depth wrongful death legal guide that discusses the steps a family member should take when a loved one is killed in a preventable accident. Take a moment to download the PDF to learn about the claims process, damages and how passenger injury cases differ from case to case.

Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm’s FAQ’s”

If you or a loved one has questions about the wrongful death claims process, take a moment to visit our FAQ page, which features answers to common questions in the area of law.