THE NEWS DESK
The News Desk is a collection of news, notes and breaking items affecting the Fredericksburg community.
Crashes on I-95 and in Orange kill three
BY SCOTT SHENK
A late Wednesday night crash on Interstate 95 that left a Spotsylvania man dead was followed by another crash about eight hours later in Orange County Thursday morning that killed two Orange County residents.
Virginia State Police said the Orange County crash happened shortly after 7 a.m. when a southbound 1998 Lincoln Town Car crossed the center line on the two-lane road while rounding a curve.
The car hit the side of a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, sending it overturning off of the road before it landed upright.
The Lincoln continued south in the northbound lane and ran head-on into a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville.
The drivers of the Lincoln, 20-year-old Danielle Cloinger, and the Bonneville, 54-year-old Archie W. Clements III, died at the scene, said state police Sgt. Les Tyler.
He said Cloinger was wearing her safety belt, but Clements was not.
The Cherokee driver, 64-year-old Kenneth Foster of Unionville, was treated at the scene.
“Speed appears to be the main contributing factor,” said Tyler. The posted speed limit where the crash happened is 55 mph.
Trooper W. G. Rorrer is handling the investigation. The state police crash reconstruction team, the town of Orange police and the Virginia Department of Transportation helped at the scene.
Speed and alcohol appeared to play a role in the I-95 crash that left 27-year-old Spotsylvania resident Jermon Rochaud Howard dead, Tyler said.
The crash happened at about 11 p.m. on southbound I-95 near the Fall Hill Avenue bridge overpass.
Tyler said the 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Howard ran off the right side of the interstate, hit the guard rail and overturned, partially ejecting the man, who died at the scene. He wasn’t wearing his safety belt.
A passenger, who also hadn’t buckled up, was injured in the crash. Dyson R. Williams, 19, was taken to Mary Washington Hospital for his injuries, said Tyler, who had no information on the teen’s residence or how serious his injuries were.
Those two deadly crashes got things off to a bad start as several other area accidents along I-95 made for a congested Thursday.
A box-truck crash that happened around 9 a.m. near mile marker 113 on southbound Interstate 95 in Caroline County caused lane closures and backups into the afternoon.
Two men were injured in the crash, said state police Sgt. Thomas Molnar. One man, the 34-year-old driver, suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries. He was flown to Mary Washington Hospital. A passenger, a 41-year-old man, suffered minor injuries and was taken to VCU Medical Center. Both men were wearing their safety belts.
Later in the afternoon, two other crashes tied up traffic on I-95 and U.S. 1 in the Massaponax and Falmouth areas, causing backups at one point of 12 miles.
Scott Shenk: 540/374-5436
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