A Virginia State Police trooper and occupants of a vehicle that had been pulled over for speeding narrowly escaped injury last night (Wednesday) from a collision with a drunk driver, police say.
The incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. on I-495 near the exit to Gallows Road south of Merrifield.
According to the VSP report, a trooper identified as J. Weitzman had stopped a Toyota sedan that was traveling north on the interstate at 90 miles per hour:
While the trooper was standing next to the stopped Toyota, a Nissan Versa traveling north on I-495 ran off the right side of the interstate and slammed into the trooper’s marked patrol car. (The state police vehicle had its emergency lights activated at the time.) The impact of that crash forced the state police car into the Toyota. Trooper Weitzman had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck.
Meanwhile, the Nissan came to rest in the northbound lanes of I-495.
After making certain the Toyota’s driver and passenger were not injured, Trooper Weitzman ran over to the Nissan and called for rescue. The driver was trapped inside the Nissan, as the crash jammed the driver’s door shut. The trooper was able to help the driver of the Nissan out of the vehicle through the passenger side.
No injuries resulted from the crash to Weitzman, the Nissan driver, or the occupants of the Toyota.
The Nissan driver, a 65-year-old D.C. resident, was taken into custody and now faces multiple charges, including driving under the influence. Police say this is the driver’s second DUI offense within the past 10 years.
The driver has also been charged with refusing to take an alcohol breath test, driving without a valid license, and failing to move over.
“The crash remains under investigation,” the Virginia State Police said.
#VSP trooper stopped out w/speeding vehicle on I-495 in #FairfaxCounty was struck by 65 YO #DUI driver at 11:45 PM 12/22/21. No injuries, amazingly. It's the holidays, #Virginia! Pls #DriveSober #SlowDown & #MoveOver. Let's all make it home safely for the #holidays. @VaDOTNOVA pic.twitter.com/qHh5oJUF4U
— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) December 23, 2021
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While it may be tempting to throw caution into the wind as 2020 winds to a close, local and state police are emphasizing the need for people to drive safely during the winter holidays, when alcohol-related crashes often spike.
Data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office shows that the Commonwealth has recorded more fatalities from traffic crashes related to speed and drunk driving so far this year than in all of 2019, the Virginia State Police reported on Monday (Dec. 21).
“Virginia is on pace to have more total fatal traffic crashes in 2020 than in 2019,” VSP Superintendent Col. Gary Settle said. “…Overall traffic crashes in Virginia this year are down significantly. This means each crash has been deadlier – deadlier because of speed, alcohol, distractions, and individuals not wearing seatbelts.”
The increase in deaths from crashes comes even as the COVID-19 pandemic kept many people off the roads and confined to their homes.
According to toll operator Transurban, traffic on the Interstate 95, 495, and 395 Express Lanes was down 80% in April – when Virginia had stay-at-home orders in place – compared to that same time period in 2019. While traffic has gradually increased since then, it remained 39% below 2019 levels as of November.
Police say that drunk-driving related fatalities and crashes typically go up nationwide during the holidays.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 839 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in the U.S. in December 2018. 285 of them died during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period, the VSP says.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s traffic division steps up its patrol for people driving the influence every year with an annual campaign against drunk driving that runs from the end of November to the new year.
“Although this campaign only runs until January 1, we are fortunate enough to have a dedicated DWI Squad to continue enforcement throughout the rest of the year,” the FCPD said in an email, adding that Virginia DMV recorded 336 alcohol-related crashes, 215 injuries, and seven deaths in the state from Nov. 30 to Dec. 15, 2019.
Health officials have been discouraging people from attending parties or gathering with people outside their immediate household, but for anyone who decides to travel during the holiday season, the Virginia State Police has some recommendations:
- Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver, call a friend or family member, or use a cab or public transportation.
- If you know someone has been drinking, do not let them drive. Arrange an alternative, safer way home.
- Call police if you see an impaired driver on the road. Dial #77 to contact the nearest VSP emergency communications center.
State police will also have new grounds to crack down on distracted driving in the new year. It will be illegal to use a phone or other handheld communications device while driving on highways in Virginia starting on Jan. 1.
“Virginia State Police is urging every motorist on the road this holiday season to be responsible, obey the traffic laws, ditch distractions, and wear a seatbelt,” the VSP said in its news release. “Whether heading to the grocery store, the post office, or delivering gifts to family and friends, choose to do it safely and do it responsibly.”
Photo via FCPD, map via Virginia DMV
Updated 3/17/2020 — WRAP announced today (Tuesday) that its 2020 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide campaign is suspended due to concerns about the coronavirus.
Earlier: To keep party-goers safe on St. Patrick’s Day, Lyft teamed up with several businesses and organizations in Northern Virginia to offer free and discounted rides back home.
The promotion will be valid from 4 p.m. on Tuesday (March 17) until 4 a.m. on Wednesday, according to a press release, which added that rides up to $15 will be covered with a code that will be released shortly after the promotion starts.
Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), a local non-profit, is one of the main sponsors of the program. The nonprofit aims to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking, according to its website.
To take advantage of the promotion, users must be over the age of 21 and have the app downloaded on their phones. People can find the code online.
Roughly 40% of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Image via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Fairfax County Police are holding an anti-DUI and alcohol awareness event at Langley High School in McLean today.
The event, which is being held from 9 a.m. to noon, is timed to coincide with some key moments on the school calendar.
More from FCPD:
Prom and graduation season are quickly approaching, and we want to remind teens about the importance of being responsible at celebrations. We are partnering with Fairfax County Public Schools by hosting our Spring Drug and Alcohol Awareness Program.
Juniors and seniors at Langley High School will be given the opportunity to wear physical impairment goggles while being tested on both simple and complex tasks, such as driving a wheelchair through a cone course or going through a mock sobriety check with our officers. Students will also learn about Virginia’s underage drinking laws and the consequences for breaking them, as well as the physical and mental dangers that often come with underage drinking.
A Maryland man was arrested and charged with DWI after flipping his car during a crash in a Vienna parking lot.
The incident happened just before midnight on Thursday, Feb. 28. Police say the 22-year-old man was driving at “a high rate of speed” through the parking lot of the Cedar Lane Apartments when his car “struck a legally parked, unoccupied vehicle” and overturned.
“The driver, the only occupant in the vehicle, was injured in the accident,” Vienna police said in a crime report. “Upon MPO Borja’s interaction with the driver she detected signs of impairment.”
The driver, a Silver Spring resident, was transported to a hospital and subsequently charged with Driving While Intoxicated.
Photo via Google Maps
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Photo via VDOT
