WYTHEVILLE, VA : Arrest made in fatal Southwest Virginia crash on Thursday, 26th August, 2016

A Wythe County man has been charged with first-degree murder and other offenses in connection with a fatal crash in Smyth County, Va., the Virginia State Police announced Thursday.

Virginia State Police has charged John R. Lewis, 34, of Wytheville, Va., with one count of 1st degree murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of malicious wounding, and two felony counts of hit-and-run, according to Corinne N. Geller, public relations director for the Virginia State Police. Lewis is being held without bond at the New River Regional Jail.

At 8:50 a.m., Wednesday, Virginia State Police Trooper W.B. Deskins responded to a fatal crash in Smyth County. Two men and two women were riding in a 2008 Ford diesel pickup truck when the driver, Lewis, pulled over and stopped in the 500 block of Knight Road. Two passengers – Samuel D. Lawson and Heather M. Clontz – exited the vehicle. Lewis then pulled forward striking Lawson and running over Clontz. The pickup truck left the scene, Geller stated in the press release.

Clontz, 35, of Fries, Va., died at the scene. Lawson, 28, of Ivanhoe, Va., was flown to Bristol Regional Medical Center. He was treated and released later Wednesday.

Through the course of the investigation, state police located Lewis and his pickup truck in Wythe County. Lewis was taken into custody without incident. State police also located the second adult female passenger. She is not being charged in the incident.

The incident remains under investigation by Trooper Deskins and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Wytheville Field Office, Geller said.

Source :
Arrest made in fatal Southwest Virginia crash