Virginia State Police investigate a four vehicle crash in Painter, resulting in a fatality

Photo courtesy Virginia State Police

According to Sgt. Michelle Anaya of the Virginia State Police, on February 16, 2024, state police were called to investigate a vehicle crash that had occurred on Lankford Highway (Route 13), a half mile south of Coal Kin Road.

Preliminary investigations has revealed that the driver of a 2012 Ford sedan, was traveling at a high rate of speed in the northbound lanes of Route 13, when it struck the rear end of a 2016 Chevrolet Cruz also traveling northbound. Upon impact, the Ford traveled across the median and into the southbound lanes of travel, into the path of a 2021 Freightliner tractor trailer. The Ford struck the tractor trailer head-on, ejecting the driver of the Ford, into a ditch. The driver (unknown identification at this time) died upon impact.

The Chevrolet Cruz, upon being struck, spun out, and came to rest in the northbound lanes, facing southbound. Shortly after the crash, the driver of a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling northbound and struck the disabled Chevrolet Cruz.

The driver of the tractor trailer, Baron Powell, of North Carolina, was not injured in the crash. The drivers of the Chevrolet Cruz and Silverado, were both transported to Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Currently the crash is still under investigation, and attempts are being made to positively identified the deceased driver.