Police have officially filed charges against a driver who was allegedly speeding when he crashed into a minivan on the Capital Beltway (I-495) on Christmas, killing two of its occupants.
Devin Juliana, a 48-year-old from Steubenville, Ohio, has been charged with reckless driving, the Virginia State Police announced today (Thursday). More charges may be coming, pending their approval by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office.
“Virginia State Police is currently attempting to locate Juliana to serve the warrant and conduct an interview with him,” the VSP said in an update.
Troopers responded around 10:39 p.m. on Dec. 25 to a crash on I-495 at the 49-mile marker near the I-66 interchange in Idylwood.
Upon arriving, they found a Toyota Sienna minivan “with heavy rear-end damage” in the southbound Express Lanes. A Dodge Ram pickup truck that also sustained damage was located “a short distance” away in the interstate’s general travel lanes.
All five occupants of the minivan were injured and transported to a hospital, where two of them — Su Nguyen, 75, of Annandale and a 15-year-old girl — died, police say.
Juliana and a 43-year-old passenger in the pickup truck were also taken to an area hospital.
According to the VSP, an investigation found that the pickup truck driver was going over 100 mph when he crashed into the rear of the minivan, which was traveling around the Beltway’s 55-mph speed limit.
“The impact crushed the rear interior compartment of the Sienna minivan and pushed it into the Express Lanes,” state police said.
While state law prohibits police from identifying juvenile victims, the 15-year-old who was killed was identified as Nguyen’s granddaughter, Annie Vu, by a GoFundMe campaign organized to help the family cover funeral costs. One of the other passengers in the van — a 12-year-old boy — “sustained brain injuries and will require ongoing care,” according to the fundraiser.
As of press time, the campaign has raised $70,286, far surpassing its listed $20,000 goal. The organizer said that the pickup truck driver was “intoxicated” in addition to speeding at the time of the crash, but that hasn’t been publicly confirmed by police.
“No one should ever have to endure what the Vu family is going through and although the driver of the truck has apparently fled to avoid arrest, we’re committed to bringing them and all others responsible to justice,” the GoFundMe page says.
Annie Vu was a student at Annandale High School, and her family is pressing for an involuntary manslaughter charge against Juliana, NBC4 reported.
Defined as driving “recklessly” or at a speed that endangers “life, limb, or property,” regardless of the posted speed limit, reckless driving is typically a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a maximum fine of $2,500. The Commonwealth only allows vehicle-related deaths to count as involuntary manslaughter — a felony that could result in up to 10 years of prison time — if alcohol or drugs were a factor.
Correction: The Virginia State Police reported the location of the Sienna minivan as the “eastbound” Express Lanes. After a perceptive reader pointed out that I-495 is a north-south highway, FFXnow followed up with the police, who confirmed that the minivan was found in the southbound I-495 Express Lanes.
