Head-On Hit-and-Run Collision Kills Man Near Emporia, VA | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A head-on collision between two cars in Brunswick County, Virginia (VA), left one man dead and State Police searching for the driver of the other vehicle. The fatal February 20, 2015, accident occurred west of Emporia, near the intersection of State Routes 611 and 623. Those rural highways are also known locally as Dry Bread Road and Brownes Creek Road.

 

 

Investigators have put together good descriptions of how the deadly crashed happened and what the vehicle operated by the surviving, at-fault driver looks like. According to details reported by WAVY-TV 10, a 1991 Honda Accord crossed the center line of the road and collided with the car in which the victim lost his life. The Accord driver managed to get free from the wreckage and the ditch into which both cars careened, then drove off before emergency responders arrived.

Anyone with information that can help police find that vehicle and locate its driver should call (757) 424-6800.

Finding the hit-and-run driver is essential for holding the person accountable. Even if the accident can be blamed on a mechanical failure, unsafe road conditions or a medical emergency, liability remains. Insurance claims arise separately from criminal liability, and very few wrecks that result in a person’s death are completely unavoidable. Bad brakes should get repaired. Drivers should slow down on icy roads. Individuals in poor health should stay out from the behind the wheel if their ability to maintain control of their vehicle may be impaired. 

Beyond questions of negligence or recklessness on the part of the driver who caused the fatal head-on in Brunswick County, the fact stands that the person drove off rather than render assistance and accept responsibility. That decision constitutes a crime in itself, and it represents an unethical and irresponsible act. The friends and family of the deceased man deserve justice and, possibly, compensation. The hit-and-run potentially denies both.

EJL