A motorcycle rider died in a fiery crash yesterday (Sunday) after allegedly speeding on I-66, police say.
According to the Virginia State Police (VSP), a trooper spotted a motorcyclist traveling over 100 mph on eastbound I-66 near Nutley Street in Merrifield at around 12:09 a.m.
“The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the motorcycle continued to speed off, and a pursuit was initiated,” the VSP said in a news release.
Police say the trooper quickly stopped pursuing the biker “for safety reasons,” but they then encountered a crash on the interstate involving the motorcyclist and an SUV driver.
“The crash caused the motorcycle to catch fire,” the VSP said. “The trooper attempted to douse the flames with his fire extinguisher and was aided by fire and rescue crews. The motorcycle driver died in the crash and the resulting fire.”
The motorcyclist hasn’t yet been identified. The SUV driver was transported to a hospital with injuries described as “minor.”
The crash appears to have occurred when the motorcylist collided with the back of the SUV on the passenger side. An investigation into the crash remains underway.
This is the second motorcyclist fatality in Fairfax County so far in 2025. A 43-year-old Fairfax resident died on Feb. 23 after losing control of his motorcycle on a ramp from Route 28 to I-66 in Centreville, state police reported at the time.
According to preliminary state data, the county saw 11 fatal crashes involving motorcycles last year — the most since the online database started in 2010.
