A call to address an apparent race on the Capital Beltway (I-495) turned into a lifesaving operation for the Virginia State Police last night (Sunday).
According to the VSP, its troopers were dispatched around 10:52 p.m. for a report of “multiple vehicles driving recklessly” near southbound I-495 and Braddock Road in the Springfield area.
Video from the traffic cameras shows at least five different vehicles appearing to zoom past other drivers on the highway around that time.
“As Virginia State Police were responding to the call, one of the vehicles, a 2020 McLaren 720S, sideswiped another vehicle,” police said in an update. “This caused the other vehicle, a 2000 Honda Pilot, to overturn multiple times.”
Continuing east to the Franconia area, the McLaren 720s driver then “struck something” on I-495 that caused them to careen over the guardrail and onto South Van Dorn Street below, the VSP says.
The driver — identified as 35-year-old Burke resident George W. Shuey — and a passenger, 23-year-old Eren Demir, were both ejected from the McLaren, which caught fire. Neither of them were wearing seatbelts at the time, police say.
Demir landed near the burning vehicle, but two of the responding troopers — including one who just graduated from the State Police Academy in August — were able to pull them to safety.
Shuey and Demir were transported to area hospitals with injuries described as “serious” by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
Rosa M. Rivera Orellana, a 37-year-old Fairfax resident and driver of the Honda Pilot, also suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital, according to the state police, who say she was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Shuey has been charged with reckless driving. The VSP says it anticipates filing additional charges against him after consulting with the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
