State police are investigating four fatal crashes in Hampton Roads, including a multi-car collision that closed part of Interstate 64 early this morning.
Newport News: About 1 a.m. today, one person was killed after a tractor-trailer slammed into several stopped vehicles on eastbound I-64 near Fort Eustis, said Sgt. Michelle Cotten, state police spokeswoman.
The person who died was in a Toyota that burst into flames, Cotten said. Investigators could not tell if the person was a man or woman and are trying to make a positive identification.
A medical examiner is trying to identify the victim through dental records, Cotten said, which probably will take one or two days.
If the results don't yield an answer, it could take two to three weeks for a DNA test to identify the person, she said.
The crash happened after a line of cars had stopped and were merging into the right lane because of road work in the left lane, Cotten said.
Investigators believe that the tractor-trailer driver looked down to get a drink and looked away from the road, Cotten said. The tractor-trailer was going about 50 mph, she said. Kenneth Hardy Sr., of Hagerstown, Md., was charged with reckless driving, Cotten said. Hardy is in his 50s.
Investigators were called to the scene to reconstruct the crash, Cotten said.
In the other fatal wrecks:
-- Accomack County: A 30-year-old man died this morning after being hit by a bus on U.S. 13, Cotten said. The bus had been headed west on U.S. 13 about 1:30 a.m. and was near Va. 617 when it hit Eric Collins of Bird’s Nest, Cotten said. She said Collins had been lying on the ground in a fetal position.
-- Sussex County: About 11:20 p.m. last night, the driver of a Chrysler convertible ran off the left side of Va. 602 and hit several trees, Cotten said. Michael David Hunter, 24, of Carson, died at a hospital, Cotten said. Alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash, she said. Hunter was not wearing a seatbelt.
-- Isle of Wight: About 6:30 p.m. last night, a man driving a Buick on Nike Park Road about a mile south of Reynolds Drive crashed and overturned, Cotten said. The Buick ran off the right side of the road and the driver apparently overcorrected before the car ran off the left side of the road and rolled over, Cotten said.
Johnathan C. Berry, 22, was partially ejected out the back window, Cotten said. Berry had not been wearing a seatbelt. Speed also appeared to be a factor in the crash, Cotten said.
Berry lived in the 200 block of Edgewood Road in Smithfield, Cotten said.
Check PilotOnline.com later for updates.
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