Calling the last 48 hours “a dangerous time on our roadways,” Fairfax County police are asking both pedestrians and drivers to pay attention and follow the rules of the road.
The Fairfax County Police Department held a press conference this afternoon (Friday) at the intersection of Richmond Highway and Frye Road in Woodlawn in the wake of five fatal crashes that have occurred over the last two days. Four of them killed pedestrians, while a fifth ended in the death of a motorcyclist.
FCPD Deputy Chief Dalton Becker said that while the crashes happened at different times of day, all of them were the result of risky behaviors that could’ve been prevented.
“The pedestrians involved, or the drivers involved, some of them had alcohol in their system,” Becker said. “Some were charged with DUI; others are pending lab analysis in the next few days. That, or speed, or other types of reckless driving, is involved in all of these.”
Police said that when drivers speed and pedestrians don’t use walkways or crosswalks, the combination can be deadly.
“You can see this right behind us,” Becker said, gesturing at the intersection. “There’s a pedestrian walkway … The next one’s a little bit further down, and for many people, it’s a lot easier just to cut right across. But unfortunately, they [might] misjudge how fast they are or how fast the car is, and a collision occurs.”
Officers will be distributing pamphlets to pedestrians nearby in the hopes they will “realize the crosswalks are here for a reason,” Becker said.
He also said that police see intoxicated driving “all the time,” especially around the holidays.
“There’s no excuse. Don’t do it,” he said. “And everybody else, with all the distractions we have around us, just pay attention…you can save a life. There’s … at least five families today that are grieving.”
The message comes at a time when the pedestrian death toll has soared to 10 fatalities countywide, following the four recent crashes.
The most recent occurred only this morning, when an elderly man was struck and killed by a vehicle on Little River Turnpike at Southland Avenue in Lincolnia. The driver, a 19-year-old man, has been charged with driving under the influence.
Pedestrians were also killed last night (Thursday) in separate crashes on a Leesburg Pike service road in Seven Corners and on Gallows Road near the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
In addition, yesterday morning, Jerry Harris, 64, of Alexandria, died after he was struck first by a 2019 Nissan Rogue on Richmond Highway (Route 1) at Fort Hunt Road in Huntington. He was subsequently struck by the driver of a 2018 Toyota Rav4.
Another fatal multi-vehicle crash occurred Wednesday afternoon (June 17), when Dwain Martin Jr., a 24-year-old from Lorton, was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting a loaded trailer pulled by a 2024 Ford F-650 truck. Police said the truck was in the process of turning left into a business driveway from southbound Route 1. Martin was subsequently hit by a 2023 BMW 430i sedan.
Notably, two of the five fatal crashes to occur over the past two days were on Richmond Highway, where conditions have long alarmed traffic and pedestrian safety advocates.
At the press conference, Becker cited yet another incident from this morning that involved allegedly reckless driving behavior. A police officer in the Franconia District was assisting a driver who hit a pole when “a reckless driver drove right into the back of him.”
The officer went to the hospital with minor injuries, was treated and released, and the driver was cited.
“It shows you … if they are going to run into a marked car, they’re going to potentially run into unmarked vehicles that most of us drive,” Becker said. “Or pedestrians if they’re not paying attention.”
“Watch your speed,” he added. “… Please pay attention, slow down.”
